How Strong are your frienships? How Strong are your relationships?

Today I was thinking how much do the people in your life matter?

I've seen best friends become enemies, family stop speaking, over time people grow closer and people grow apart.  How constant are these relationships that we are developing with each other?  Go back 10 years, where are the people that you would have done anything for?  How many is that still the case?  How many could you not even pick up the phone and call today?  How many would you have no contact with if it wasn't for facebook, twitter, or instagram?  How many of them would do anything for you?

Think about it.

Now think about the people in your life right now that you feel you would do anything for, the people that you would literally die for.  Now fast forward 10 years, will that still be the case?  Now I know no one knows the future, but I do believe that we as people know how to lie to ourselves because it's easier than the truth.  We hold on to friendships and relationships because we don't know what else to do, we don't see a future but we don't want to admit or accept it, but over time the truth of those friendships and relationships come out and are lost.

How strong are your friendships? How strong are your relationships?

Take a step down the rabbit hole with me.  Fast forward 10 years. You are given two cards, each with a name on it. You are given a choice. Of those two names, one will have all their dreams come true, and the other will lose everything they have.

One is the name of someone that you are close to now, your "best friend", "girlfriend", or any number of those that you would do anything for; and the other name is your own.  Would you give up everything so that the people you would do anything for, have everything?

 How strong are your friendships?  How strong are your relationships?

Now think of all the people that you say you would do it, you would give this person everything in their dreams and you would essentially, give up your life for them.  Ask yourself this? What if they were presented with the same option?  Would you be living your dreams thanks to them?  or would they choose themselves?  Does your opinion of what they would change your decision?  Think about it.  Is it selfish to expect those that you would give anything for to do the same? Or is it fair?

There are a number of people that I would truly give up everything if they could have everything and of those people I know there are a number that would not return the favor.  Does it change anything? Hard to say, part of me feels challenged to have the kind of impact on their lives that they would give up everything for me.  Part of me feels that maybe those are the people that in 10 years, I won't be able to pick up and call.  But the biggest part of me feels ok with it.  I can accept that not everyone is built like me, self preservation is a powerful tool.  There are people from 2003 that I would've given everything for that today, I simply wouldn't.  However, I am proud to say that the list of people I would give everything for is a lot larger now than it was then.  I truly believe the relationships that I have built with the people closest to me are lifetime relationships; even if those relationships change over time.

If you're unsure if you're one of those people in my life, that means I know how you would answer the question asked above.  And I'm ok with it.  Call me, I'll tell you if you're on of those people for me and that I don't want you to give up anything for me.  I want you to give up everything,  and I mean everything....................................






for yourself.

If you're willing to bet it all on you, than I am too; that's why I say without a doubt that I would give up everything for those closest to me. 

How strong are your friendships?  How strong are your relationships?