Tag Archives: friendship

Some people are worth melting for

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“Some people are worth melting for.”

—Olaf, in the film Frozen

Image from Unsplash by Miriam Gilles

Here in the Northeastern United States there is always the potential for a bit or bunch of the white stuff as we enter the winter months.

If you happen to enjoy holiday movies you may have seen one of my family’s favorites: Frosty the Snowman. There is a particular scene where Frosty shows his wiliness to melt. He enters a greenhouse to save his friend Karen from freezing, to demonstrate his love and his willingness to sacrifice everything for her.

EXERCISE:

Who are the people in your life worth melting for? How does realizing the importance of these people give your life greater meaning and purpose?

A good friend is a connection to life

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“A good friend is a connection to life, a tie to the past, a road to the future, the key to sanity in a totally insane world.”

—Lois Wyse, late American advertising executive, author, and columnist

Image from Unsplash by Helena Lopes

Statistics point to the fact that the majority of us are worried about our world on a daily basis.

Just examining the nightly news or your daily media feeds is enough to give you indigestion and more than a few sleepless nights!

Where do we begin as individuals to right our ships and sail together toward a better future?

Perhaps it all begins with friendship, as today’s quote suggests.

As the saying goes: To have a friend begins with being a friend.

EXERCISE:

Where in your world can you extend the olive branch of friendship to build more and better connections to support a world that works better for everyone?

“Friendship is the only cement that will ever hold the world together.

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“Friendship is the only cement that will ever hold the world together.”

—Woodrow Wilson, 28th President of the United States

Weston & Ella

I had the opportunity to do some Halloween trick-or-treating with my daughter, son-in-law, and two excited grandchildren.

Given that Halloween was within a week of our election here in the US, we needed to navigate around numerous political lawn signs as we headed from house to house.

Of particular interest was the absence of any political conversation among the many parents accompanying their kids. What was present was a strong sense of friendly camaraderie as everyone took delight in celebrating this extra sweet occasion.

Woodrow Wilson — the author of today’s quote — was President between 1913 and 1921. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1919 for his efforts in establishing the League of Nations.  He is also remembered for his numerous legislative accomplishments and his high-minded idealism.

EXERCISE:

In what ways do you contribute to the cementing power of friendship in your communities?

How could you win your own peace prize for your idealistic efforts?

“I’m hungry to find people who are hungry.”

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“I’m hungry to find people who are hungry.”

—Michael Bungay Stainer, author of The Coaching Habit

Image from Unsplash by Maddi Bazzocco

Going out to eat is a primary pastime during our winter months in Florida.

My preference is to experiment with a wide variety of restaurants and types of food to keep things interesting.

One of my favorite places to go for lunch is an Asian buffet called Chow Time.

Our good friend Mitch has a robust appetite for both food and stimulating conversation. It’s nice to have our hunger satisfied beyond the many items being served over the numerous hours we spend in each other’s company!

EXERCISE:

Who are the people in your life that feed your mind and nourish your soul?

How can you spend more time with these special people — perhaps over a delicious meal?

What helps you take the challenging aspect of life in stride

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What helps you take the challenging aspect of life in stride?

—Calm App Reflection

Image from Unsplash by Copper and Wild

FULL QUOTE: “What helps you take the challenging aspect of life in stride? What lollipops of love do you give yourself and others to make the world a little sweeter?”

Wendy and I recently spent several days with the family of a very close friend who passed away suddenly.

During this time, family and friends from near and far gathered to acknowledge and celebrate this wonderful man.

Along with the tremendous outpouring of love and support, many of the people in attendance brought all types of treats for everyone to share as we offered sweet stories from the life of this very special soul.

EXERCISE:

How do you serve and support others in your communities facing challenging times?

What gestures and offerings ease the pain to help make life a bit sweeter?

A good friend is a connection to life —a tie to the past, a road to the future, the key to sanity in a totally insane world

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“A good friend is a connection to life —a tie to the past, a road to the future, the key to sanity in a totally insane world.”

—Lois Wyse, late advertising executive and author

Image from Unsplash by Felix Roosting

About a month ago, I watched a short video clip in which Arthur Brooks was interviewed. In this conversation with Daniel Pink, Brooks he introduced the concept of real friends versus deal friends.

According to Brooks, deal friends are people who can help you in a transactional way, while real friends are the ones who might call you at inconvenient times in a crisis.

Deal friends are people who are useful to you in some way, however these friendships are often less satisfying and feel incomplete because they don’t involve the whole self.

EXERCISE:

Who are your real friends?

How have and do they connect you to life?

How often do you acknowledge these special relationships and let them know how meaningful they are to you?

Friday Review: Friendship

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Friday Review: Friendship

What does it mean to be and have a friend? Here are a few related posts you may have missed.

“Probably the most neglected friend you have is you.”

 

 

 

 

 

“When people are like each other, they tend to like each other.”

 

 

 

“To be a good fisherman you must detach yourself from the dream of the fish. This makes whatever is caught or found a treasure.”

 

 

 

 

 

The best mirror is a friend’s eye

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“The best mirror is a friend’s eye.”

—Gaelic proverb

Rachel & Lesley (l) — Lesley & Ella (r)

My daughter Rachel’s best friend recently came for a surprise visit to see her, and to meet her new goddaughter, Ella.

Lesley and Rachel call each other Big Sis and Little Sis, and have been very close since grade school.

An elaborate plan for this visit was first orchestrated in November. With many of us playing our part, we accomplished the jaw dropping, tear-filled reunion.

Watching these two best friends reconnect over the next few days was a great gift for us as well.

EXERCISE:

Where and when have you experienced the value and joy of having a best friend? In what fun ways can you surprise them and show how very much they have meant to you over the years?

“To be a good fisherman you must detach yourself from the dream of the fish. This makes whatever is caught or found a treasure.”

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“To be a good fisherman you must detach yourself from the dream of the fish. This makes whatever is caught or found a treasure.”

—Buddhist saying

 Image from Unsplash by NOAA

I have a client and good friend named Rich, who loves to fish. Hearing him talk about his passion is a blast. Last year, he invited me to join him in his passion at a local lake.

With an early start on a promising day, we switched places and Rich became my coach. During our five-hour excursion he caught numerous fish and I — with all my giggling — came up with a single small-mouth bass, just prior to us calling it a day. Later, over a meal, I came to the realization that it was our treasured friendship that was the big fish I caught that day.

EXERCISE:

Where have you caught or discovered new things to celebrate and appreciate on your way to some other intended place? Where might detaching yourself from things you expect open you up to new people and experiences to treasure?

“The man or woman who treasurers his friends is usually solid gold himself.”

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“The man or woman who treasurers his friends is usually solid gold himself.”

—Marjorie Holmes, 20th Century American columnist & author

Two of our most treasured friends live near Poughkeepsie, New York. Wendy and I first met Emmy and Clark in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. Every August since 1984 we’ve joined them for a week at our annual timeshare, Shawnee on the Delaware. Beyond these annual vacations, we have stayed in touch to share many happy times, including birthdays, BBQs and other family celebrations.

Over the years, Emmy has sent us hundreds of handmade, personalized purple cards, to let us know we are in her thoughts. During some of our most challenging times, we would receive these “Pick Me Up” purple messages each week.

EXERCISE:

Who are the solid gold friends in your life? What purple card-like gesture can you offer these special people to more fully demonstrate how much you treasure them?