Recently I joined high school friends for the first time in many years.
We sat around a fire, shared, laughed, cried, cared, listened and loved. Stepping onto the curb & away from my friend’s car I welled up with love (& tears) and not wanting to leave, it got me to thinking on how we measure ourselves and our friends. Somebody once told me that my income would be the average income amongst my group of friends. This statement left me a little deflated. I feel this is an incorrect unit of measure.
A professional in the field of psychology told me that;
'your network is your net worth'
This I feel is a far fairer unit of measure. Thinking of the women in my circle, I have mothers who are selfless, kind, generous and caring. Business women who are savvy, intelligent and driven. Entrepreneurs who are calculated, focused and ruthless. Free spirits who are worldly, grounded and soulful. And so much more.
Why does it matter what they do for a living, the car they drive, the clothes they wear, the balance of their bank account or value in their pay check? If we can take one virtue from each person in our circle aren't we increasing our own worth?
Sitting amongst my friends, looking into their bright eyes after many years, hearing about their failures and successes, I realise this is how I measure my friends.
After all this time, the distances between us, the differences in the lives lead, we still sit here together as friends.
My friendship unit of measure is how long and hard we hug, how loud we laugh, how wet my cheeks get when I cry for & with them and how my heart beats like a hummingbird as I walk onto my flight knowing that it will be a long time before I see them again.
