You've Got A Friend

My mother used to tell me that "friends were worth their weight in gold". I never really understood the meaning of her sentiment. I used to think of everything in a literal sense, and I would spend hours trying to figure out the various weights and prices of each of my friends.

It was not until I reached adulthood that I really, truly got the meaning of what she was telling me, in her special way. Friends ease the burden of life. The comfort you in times of heartache, celebrate with you in times of joy, and sit on the couch with you watching television, not saying a word. Friendship is the most important factor in being a well-adjusted adult.

After the store closed and I was unemployed, my friends rallied around me to sooth my aching heart. I had a job that I truly loved. I was one of the blessed few that loved what he did for a living. That was taken away, and a part of me died when the store closed.

Then, this great opportunity of employment was offered to me, and I have found a new world full of faces, and some fast friendships. I have been accepted whole-heartedly by the staff at my new job. The owner of the store told me today that he was so glad that I was there, and he hoped that I would work for him for years to come. My supervisor told me tonight, right before we walked out the door, that she wants to get all of us in the department to go out for drinks one night "to welcome me into the family".

I've also been mending a friendship that was wrought asunder by an outside source. The road has been long and bumpy, but we are making plans for the future, and we keep plugging along to make things right between us.

I could accomplish everything in the world, but nothing would matter if I didn't have people around me to share in my triumphs and tragedies. I would be a lonely, miserable wreck, and it has taken me a long time to realize that fact. My friends a solid gold, and for once Mother was right about something.