One of the simplest but hardest lessons I learned was that the best way to make friends was to be one.
One day I woke up to the fact that while I had a few buddies, the only friend I had was relocating 1500 miles away. Others I thought were my friends weren’t there for me when I needed them most (or even at all).
I blamed them, but eventually came to realize I’d been no better friend to them than they’d been to me. I learned it wasn’t about them at all, and never had been.
Those realizations struck me hard.
Through trial and error I developed an amazingly simple (but not always easy) way to make a profoundly positive difference in my life:
I identify people whom I believe to be good-hearted and then commit to myself to be the kind of friend to them that I want to have.
I don’t promise them anything, and many aren’t even aware that I’ve committed to myself to be their friend. I just do it.
Over time, this approach led to my being a friend to many good-hearted men and women. In this way, I’m blessed by an ever-greater number of good-hearted people in my life.
May your days be filled with blessings.
Russ
Russ Towne's A Grateful Man 
I have a card from a friend. It’s a friend I cherish. It’s a card I have propped up on my bathroom counter where I see it every morning when I get up to brush my teeth. It reminds me to bee 🐝 what this friend says I am!! The card reads, “You’re the friend everyone wishes they had…” I’m in MT and that dear friend who sent that card is in CA. In spite of the distance, we communicate at least 4 or 5 times a week with one another. Thank God for mail, phones, and the internet. Distance does not need to separate friends. You’re right, Russ. It’s a mindset. It’s a decision. It’s a practice. As Bob Goff wrote, “Love Does.” Thank you for your active love 💕 It works two ways 💕 and God is at the heart of it. 👍🏽❤️🙏🏽
Thank you for your kind message, Jan! I’m blessed to have you in my life if only electronically due to the many miles between our homes. Love Does, indeed!
May your days be filled with blessings.
Russ
I know our lives have taken different paths but your influence in my early years has had a profound effect on why I re connect with you when I can and pay attention to your words of wisdom throughout my life. I still, somehow, feel that connection with you and would like to count you as a friend.
Thank you for your kind message, my friend. It means a lot to me, as do you.
May your days be filled with blessings.
Russ
Friends???
What are they, I have none, I have family but no friends, there are people I am friendly with but wouldn’t call them friends.
I’m glad to hear that you have family, Joanne. They can make a world of difference in one’s life.
May your days be filled with blessings.
Russ
That is very right. When I relocated to England, I had one friend who continued to be a friend, all others dropped out of my life even though I made an effort. Thinking about that though, I wouldn’t call them friends really. So I am very happy to have my only real good friend in Germany. I have made other friends too in England and I do have 3 real friends whom I would do anything for and they would help me too.
Some friends are good people and lovely to be with and some friends are real soul buddies you can count on.
In the end friends should give you something positve in life and you do the same. It is a give and take.
I’m off to meet one of my wonderful friends as I take her to a theatre/ musical today for her Birthday. Can’t wait 🙂 ♥
Thank you for your insights, Ute. I hope you and your friend have or had a great time celebrating her birthday together. May yor days be filled with blessings.
Like you, I search out the good hearted people in the world. I am not and have never been good at keeping in touch with people, though I often think about them.
I have two types of friends. Those that are long distance and I connect through blogging, text and even games. Others are in real life…simply because they are close to me physically and I am fortunate to have lunch or coffee with them on a regular basis. I have one other grouping that isn’t necessarily in the friend column but I do find pleasure in their company. I have become active in a Foodie group that was started on Facebook. A group of forty or so meet once a month at different restaurants in the area. I’ve only been a few times but have found everyone to be a lot of fun and they fit the definition of good hearted…to go with good food!
Often I am so engrossed in the day to day business of living that I don’t connect but that doesn’t mean that they aren’t important to me. I have a belief that my friends know that we are friends and that time and space do not diminish that bond. 🙂 🙂
I certainly know one of your friends that feels the same way about time and space not diminishing the bonds of friendship, my friend. Your foodie group sounds fun!