Good for the Soul

I have been friends with the men in the above picture for over 35 years. That states, first of all, that I'm old and secondly, that they are all great guys. It takes a lot to stay friends for that long. It takes effort. In the busyness and transitions of life (moving, having children, etc.), we need to be intentional in reaching out and staying in touch. 

In the last couple of years I've learned a lot about friendships. First of all, we need them. In the words of the great singer of the 70's and 80's Bob Seger (dating myself), "See some old friends, good for the soul." They are, in fact, good for the soul. We need certain friends who listen, encourage, and call without agenda. They're the ones who can get you through anything. They're the ones who can change your day, your week or even your month. Quality time + Quality People = Change of demeanor. Proverbs 27:17 says, "As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend." 

The other thing I learned (or re-learned) is that sadly, we lose friends. Even more as we grow older.  In the last 2 years I cannot tell you how many losses my friends and I have experienced due to cancer, tragedy, and even suicide. 

From these sad circumstances I realized how important it is that we do not wait for one's death to eulogize them, we should do this every time we see them. They should know how important they are in your life, how they make you better and how you look forward to seeing them each time. Why wait to tell everyone how great they are, when they are not here to hear it? 

What friend do you need to reach out to today? Who can you encourage or even eulogize today?