“. . . a lifetime’s not too long to live as friends.”
Michael W. Smith
One of the resolutions Tee and I made to ourselves this year is to clear out some of the clutter we have around our house from closets, bookshelves, kitchen cabinets, and the garage. The fact is we have too much stuff and we have reached a place in our lives where we don’t “need” any more. Occasionally there are things that must be replaced, the shirts in my closet as an example may wear out, but I really don’t need to add any more to my collection. Besides that we just don’t seem to be as attached to things as we once were, they don’t mean as much as they once did. Simplicity rules our lifestyle these days much more than accumulation.
This ancient truth has been taught throughout the ages that worldly goods never satisfy. They only take up space and cause us to worry in that they might be taken away, stolen, or destroyed. Worse, they distract us from what is most important and cannot be taken away, stolen or destroyed – our relationships. Relationship with another human being is the most valuable earthly possession any of us will ever have. Friends are people we care for deeply and who care for us. Friends trust one another, listen to one another, defend one another, share similar values, common interests and goals. With friends we are able to speak freely, listen openly, laugh, cry, and be authentic. Friends are steadfast and present.
Over time the attachment we have for our things has waned, it’s become clutter; but the relationships we have with our friends keep growing deeper. Friends are our travel companions through life, with whom we share our experiences. Maybe that’s why Tee and I decided to clear out some of the clutter we have around the house so not to be distracted by what is most important – our relationships. We have been blessed with an abundance of friends. And just as we learn from that ancient truth that worldly goods never satisfy . . . we also realize more and more that “a lifetime’s not too long to live as friends.”
January 26, 2009