I want to share with you a most touching and sensitive topic of discussion that strikes at the heart of the causes of your personal relationships and friendships with other people. The circle of close friendships and relationships that surrounds most everyone’s life is critical as relates to the recipe for enjoying a long and happy life.

In the end, after all is said and done, it will be those close and lasting personal relationships with other human beings that mean the most to you,…that you will cling to more than any other of your personal possessions, or other forms of wealth. Man was indeed created to be a needy personalty,…needy of other personal relationships. In fact that was the very reason that God created Eve out of Adam in the Garden of Eden. Adam was God’s finest creation. He was God’s all time best. BUT,… Adam was lonely. He had no other close personal human friend with whom to live and share his life. Eve was created out of Adam to be his Completer, to be his help mate. And so it remains true today. Man simply was not created or designed to live alone.

Life is terribly lonely when you are all alone.

All it takes for the majority of the population to give up, quit, or stop performing is for one single and simple thought to race through their heads that nobody else cares about them. The longer you live alone, the greater will be your mental pain of loneliness. If left unresolved for too long of a period of time, the miserable loner will eventually reach a point where they believe life is simply not worth continuing on by themselves. Their loneliness can be deadly.

The contrary is also true. One simple word of encouragement, one little word or action of helpfulness,…any type recognition of them as a valuable person or friend can snap even the loneliest of the lonely out of their mental misery and put them back on the road to happiness and success. You never know what kind, and how much mental baggage another person is carrying. You should never assume that you understand what is causing a person mental or physical pain and suffering. Stupidity can actually do more damage than anything else to hurt the feelings and understanding of a lonely person.

Evaluate another individual’s personal situation with an attitude of help, assistance, and love. That is what really true friendship is all about. Are you someone else’s friend? Do you have any really close personal friends?

I would like at this time to share with you a beautiful story that I received today on my e-mail sent to me by one of my oldest personal friends. A friend whose friendship I have cherished for fifty-six years. May I suggest you get a kleenex or two before reading any further.

If you like this discussion and its content, please pass it along to any other person you think could benefit from it. The author of the story is unknown.

 

A Real Friend

One day when I was a freshman in high school, I saw a kid from my class walking home from school.

His name was Kyle.

He looked like he was carrying all of his books in his arms.

I thought to myself, “Why would anyone bring home all his books on a Friday? He must really be a nerd.”

I personally had quite a weekend planned (parties and a football game with my friends tomorrow afternoon),…so I shrugged my shoulders and went on walking home by myself.

As I was walking, I saw a bunch of kids running toward him. They ran at him, knocking all his books out of his arms and tripping him so he landed in the dirt. His glasses went flying, and I saw them land in the grass about ten feet from him…

He looked up and I saw this terrible sadness in his eyes.

My heart went out to him. So, I jogged over to him as he crawled around looking for his glasses,… and I saw a tear in his eye.

As I handed him his glasses, I said, “Those guys are jerks.”

They really should get lives.

He looked at me and said, “Hey,…thanks!”

There was a big smile on his face. It was one of those smiles that showed real gratitude.

I helped him pick up his books, and asked him where he lived. As it turned out, he lived near me, so I asked him why I had never seen him before.

He said that he had gone to private school before now.

I would have never hung out with a private school kid before.

We talked all the way home, and I carried some of his books.

He turned out to be a pretty cool kid. I asked him if he wanted to play a little football with my friends….He said, yes.

We hung out all weekend and the more I got to know Kyle, the more I liked him, and my friends thought the same of him.

Monday morning came, and there was Kyle with the huge stack of books again.

I stopped him and said, “Boy, you are gonna really build some serious muscles with this pile of books everyday!”

He just laughed and handed me half the books.

Over the next four years, Kyle and I became best friends.
When we were seniors we began to think about college.

Kyle decided on attending Georgetown and I was going to Duke.

I knew we would always be friends,…that the miles would never be a problem.

He was going to be a doctor and I was going for business on a football scholarship.

Kyle was valedictorian of our class. I teased him about being a nerd.

He had to prepare a speech for graduation. I was so glad it wasn’t me having to get up there and speak.

Graduation Day, I saw Kyle. He looked great .

He was one of those guys that really found himself during high school. He filled out and actually looked good in glasses.

He had more dates than I had and all the girls loved him. Boy, sometimes I was jealous! Today was one of those days.

I could see that he was nervous about his speech. So, I smacked him on the back and said, “Hey, big guy, you’ll be great!”

He looked at me with one of those looks (the really grateful one) and smiled…“Thanks,” he said.

As he started his speech, he cleared his throat, and began…

“Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those tough years. Your parents, your teachers, your siblings, maybe a coach…but mostly your friends…I am here to tell all of you that being a friend to someone is the best gift you can give them. I am going to tell you a story.”

I just looked at my friend with disbelief as he told of the first day we met.
He had planned to kill himself over that weekend.

He talked of how he had cleaned out his locker so his Mom wouldn’t have to do it later and was carrying all of his stuff home.

He looked hard at me and gave me little smile.

“Thankfully, I was saved. My friend saved me from doing the unspeakable.”

I heard a gasp go through the crowd as this handsome, popular boy told us all about his weakest moment.

I saw his Mom and Dad looking at me and smiling that same grateful smile.

Not until that moment did I realize it’s depth.

Never underestimate the power of your own actions. With one small gesture you can change a person’s entire life….For better or for worse.

God puts us all in each others lives to impact one another in some way or another. Look for Good in others.

You now have two choices,…you can:

1. Pass this article on to all your friends and let them be blessed by it,…or
2. Delete it and act like it didn’t touch your heart.

As is clearly obvious I have chosen option 1.

“Friends are angels who lift us to our feet, when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly.”

There is no beginning or end.
Yesterday is history.
Tomorrow is a mystery.
Today is a gift.

It just happens to be National Friendship Week here in America. Show your friends just how much you personally do care for them. Send this to everyone you consider to be one of your good friends,

If it comes back to you, then you’ll know you have a circle of friends.

When you receive this letter, you are requested to send it on to at least ten other people you consider to be good friends.

If this story comes back to you, then you will know for certain that you have a good close circle of friends.

Interconnecting with other friends is a very important part of keeping great personal relationships growing and improving with other people.

In the end of things it will be your close personal friends who add the most value to your life. Be sure to thank them for their friendship at every opportunity that presents itself.

 

Peace And Love to All of You…………………Poppa Bear