The inner make up of a man, is multifaceted. It's all a combination of actions, and results. How he carries himself throughout life, determines the end result, and ultimately how he is remembered. I try and live life large. Bigger than the average man, or what I consider the average man at least.
This includes the satisfaction of a select few friends. They equal no more than the fingers on my right hand, but they are the ones that I go above-and-beyond to insure their happiness on this planet, and in turn, insures mine as well.
One friend in particular is the subject of the first part of my "The Foundation of Me".
Throughout my time on this marble we call a planet, I've learned that you can't conquer it alone. You need an equal partnership. It can be a wife that you truly love (or husband, as the case may be), a best friend, and on the rarest of occasion, a parent.
I myself, have been blessed with a best friend.
I'm not talking about a teenager "BFF". I'm speaking of the real deal. The friend of 20 years that when people see us hang out, it's obvious we've known each other longer than we've not known each other. The kind of friend that people ask "How do I get a best friend like that?"
I'll tell you one thing, it's not easy. You have to have the perfect storm of factors. Things like; The ability to keep a secret, seeing eye-to-eye on 90% of life, willing to make efforts that are out of your comfort zone, and generally making their life a major priority of yours.
I have tried to put into words, on numerous occasions, the true nature of my friendship. I usually come up short, or finish saying something like..."I don't know, it just works."
But, I'll say this, you feel a lot better knowing that no matter what comes your way, there's two of you to attack it, and not just one. So, everything is a little less frightening. You have someone to complain to about the most mundane of things. You have someone to ask advice, that is really going to give you the bare bones of it, and not say something they are guessing you want to hear. You have a foundation that helps make you a better you.
Too often in this world, we focus on ourselves, and are selfish is so many ways. With a friend such as this, you want to give to them, what you don't give anyone else in the world, and therefore keep yourself from being overtly selfish, and make a lighter heart, mind and soul in the process.
In everyone's life, comes high times, and low times. Rich times, and poor times. Happiness, and sadness. And, yes, it sounds like a marriage...and in some ways it is...but, it's something you will grow to admire within itself. You respect the actual friendship, as well as the person. You appreciate them for whom they are, and never judge them for what they're not. You have a millions stories to tell all of the outsiders to this friendship, because when opportunity comes, this is the friend you always call upon to share the greatest of adventures.
I can say that I've jumped off cliffs, climbed mountains, hung out with celebrities, got drunk with, and pretty much conquered the planet with, my best friend.
If you don't have one, envy me. If you do have one, you know exactly where I'm coming from. Because, no matter how big my personality is...No matter how often I fuck up, succeed, fall flat, or end up in the hospital...I've got a brick that helps make up the base of that we call Johnny.
I take my hat off to that friend, the man, the soon-to-be father, and I say "Thank you." for helping to create a legacy, of that that is me.
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