On Friendship

Without fail, I become pensive toward the end of the year. Have I done all that I hoped during the year? Have I managed to progress mentally, physically or spiritually in that time? And I often consider my friends, acquaintances, buddies and cronies at this time, as well.

So often, people enter into and exit from your life, and there is neither a rhyme nor a reason that can explain why. It's just my responsibility to be respectful of the situation at hand and move forward.

This year there are two people who stand out in my mind. The first person passed away unexpectedly this summer. Her death was a blow to a burgeoning friendship, and it is a loss that I still cannot quite understand. She was indeed that person who seemed to see the best in a circumstance; that focus was her guide. She spoke to the best of us who were blessed to be around her, and I am glad that I was able to spend time in her midst.

The second person is somewhat enigmatic, fascinating. The detective in my psyche (or should I say historian) is awakened when we are together. Though we met in January, it still feels as though we are in the phase of discovery. I have no idea what to expect, and that can be both exciting and maddening. Yet, I sense that he is truly genuine, and that is a good thing. I look forward to seeing what happens in 2008.

I take friendship very seriously. These are the people we elect to have in our lives. Family (though I love mine dearly) is not normally chosen. I have been blessed with having made solid selections of friends over the years, and though I lost a potential friend this year, I hope that the new person still in the picture remains. We shall see.