Friends, a man's best friend

Friends come in all different forms. There are fleeting friends, circumstantial friends, friends from certain periods in life (i.e. high school, college, etc...), work friends, friends of friends… I think you get the point. And, for those of us who are lucky enough to have them, there are the coveted lifelong friends.

Friendships play a crucial role in our everyday lives, yet sometimes it seems like it’s easier to neglect them than nurture them. It’s incredibly easy to take friends for granted, especially ones you’ve had extended period of time because you just don’t think about how important they are on a day-to-day basis.

I’m grateful for the many great friends I have, but even I fall into the trap from time to time. I’ve been reminded of what great friends I have recently, and how little I would have without them, which inspired me to write this blog.

For a long time I thought the title “best friend” could only be bestowed on one person, and for a long time I only had one best friend. This is a guy I’ve literally known as far back as I can remember. We’ve been though every stage of our lives together, from the first sleep overs of grade school and the realization that girls aren’t disgusting during middle school, to the greatness of freedom in college and “the man’s got me down” blues of the working world. He’s now in graduate school at Harvard so I don’t get to see him as much as I used to, but what’s great about our friendship is our ability to pick up where we left off, no matter how long it’s been. A best friend is a great thing and there’s no doubt in my mind he will remain my best friend as long as we’re above ground.

What’s even better, I’ve come to realize over the past couple of years that I can have two best friends. They are in very different categories, but I place equal emphasis on each. My other best friend is my soon-to-be wife. She shares many of the same qualities, such as unabashed honesty, willingness to do anything, etc… and there is no doubt in my mind that we will always be there for each other. I wouldn’t have put a ring on her finger if I thought otherwise, even just a little.

Can family be considered friends? I consider my family to be friends… they certainly have all the symptoms of being friends – loyalty, honesty, etc… My brother and I are almost exact opposites, which makes us fantastic counterpoints to each other and great friends. My dad calls his father his best friend and sincerely means it. Even at 60 years old he looks to his father with admiration, and I look at both of them the same way.

Those are just a few examples, but friends do so many great things for me every day, such as opening up doors to new opportunities, being with me in life’s best and worst moments and making me laugh on a daily basis. All I can hope is that they feel I do the same for them.