Take advantage of life’s little pleasures. I’m sure you’ve heard this expression before. There are literally thousands of ways this could be true. From enjoying a beautiful morning with a cup of coffee in your hand to the feeling of a brisk fall day during football season, joyful memories can be made on a daily basis if you’re open to them.
In no way are these moments more memorable than in the company of friends.
I turned 49 this past week. Rather than treat this fact as a reason for mourning the eventual doom that is my 50s, I decided to embrace all that life has given me to this point. I have a beautiful wife, kids and more friends than I can count. Life is great. The friends I got to spend time with this past weekend made sure to remind me of that.
Friends are the family you get to choose. During my teen years, I had a few friends that I would hang out with who lived in my neighborhood. Our bond at the time was our shared love of basketball and Michael Jordan. I wasn’t a great basketball player by any means, I loved to play it due to my undying love for “His Airness.” The 8-9 posters on my bedroom wall would solidify this point for all to see.
I got along with these friends for the most part but they had character traits that didn’t align with my values at the time. I was still growing into myself, but I soon realized that I wanted friends who respected their parents, were accepting of others and were generally nice people. My chosen friends at the time weren’t meeting this standard so I decided to sever ties with them.
Going out on your own is always a bit scary. With anything you do, it’s easier to have a support system to lean on during difficult times. Although I didn’t know where it would lead, I figured I’d eventually find a subset of people I would gel with who aligned with the values I was looking for.
Within a year, my friendship tree began to grow roots. The friends I made in my late teens and in college are my extended family today. They provide me with enough love, support and laughter to fill 3 lifetimes. I feel truly blessed for all they have given me and continue to give me.
There’s no amount of money that would be able to replicate the experiences I’ve received over our many years of friendship.
Life is not about how much stuff you accrue. Experiences and the memories you make are much more valuable than anything you can buy. When death comes for you, and it will, you’re not going to wish you had purchased a larger TV for your den or a luxury car to place in your driveway.
I suspect you’ll reflect on your life and remember the happy times you had with friends and family. In other words, the experiences that shaped your life over the years.
Friends are a gift. A gift that comes with an emotional cost to be sure, but a gift nonetheless. Our shared human experiences provide built in support to lift each other up when we’re down while shining a spotlight on our happiest moments.
Now, stop reading and call your best friend.
You know you want to.
