Things I've Come To Realize...

I must say that on all obvious accounts this has been an uninteresting summer. We didn't do much, we didn't have very many "crazy nights" (although we did had a few) and we didn't make any many major contributions to anything very productive. While I wouldn't call this a summer that will go down as one of the best in my memories...I will call it a summer of epiphanies. I came to realize many things this summer, the word "family" is the first that comes to mind. People you call "friends" are a dime a dozen, I don't say this to be mean or hateful, it's just the major truth that I've realized. It's the friends that you consider family that are a real rarity. Even the friends that you thought would always be there, and would never let you down sometimes do, and people who you thought you could depend on will disappear when you need them most. I think you finally realize who your true friends are when the bonds you share start being pulled in different directions, the ones that snap will surprise you...and the ones that don't may come as a surprise as well. But it's the bonds that are left that are the most important; these are the friendships that will stand up to heartache, loss, disagreements and life's changes. I consider myself blessed to have people in my life who I know I can count on...I know this because they are the ones that never let me down. The people who aren't in my life anymore...well, maybe they were never meant to be there in the first place. I've realized that true friendship/ family is a lot like 1 Corinthians 13: 1-13...true friends are not envious, but share in your joy, they are not boastful, and they are not selfish. True friends don't take a small joy in your pain and they are not vindictive. I know I have not been the perfect friend to everyone at all times, no one is, but I do try to be the best friend that I can be to the people that really matter to me. I've lost a few friends this summer and over the past two years, but the ones that remain are the best friends...no make that family, that I could ever ask for.