The priceless value of our friends

Life consists of random steps. We take them every day. Through the unfamiliar at first. In both territory and person. This is when the most valuable of these friends have appeared. Let me take you through a quick and inspiring journey and how I have found them to be.

When I was a freshman at college, I met one of my best friends who I have stayed in touch with since that first day of freshman orientation at Bellarmine Gardens. For the past 24 years, we have traveled often and gotten together at our 5 year class reunions and at holiday gatherings as well. And have united during moments of pain and tragedy as well.

Another random gathering of a friendship was at the bus stop after work when I met Andreaya. Just a chance encounter to discuss and talk about life and faith. Finding out we were in the same neighborhood and shared the common faith in God. Our friendship has taken me into new realms of concert promotion and even the city for an evening at a jazz club. And it has brought my heart to Africa as I have learned how their culture lives as I have worked on the small assignments. Challenges have arisen but they have given me insights to remain stronger as a result.

And then there was the friendship with a writer who I discovered one winter evening as I read an editorial in the daily news and saw her heart on the page and her compassion for life. Thanks to google, we met up when i responded to her blog and this journey has touched my soul as I have learned how to trust God more in those tough spots of our lives.

Finally, there is the jewel of my current friend who has helped produce an oyster in my life. There are those times in our lives when we don't want to allow the polishing to occur and we may fight and fuss over the minor things and not know exactly what the benefit may be.

That is exactly how friends are. They are sacrificial and lay down their lives for us and we for them. They are the waves that rock over our shoreline--bringing in beauty from the depths of the sea==to be laid down on our shorefront for beach combers to visit.'
And by which we get to walk with God along the shore-sharing the invaluable lessons learned by them along the way.