Qualifications For BFF

Qualifications For BFF

 
Have you ever heard or seen the commercial about “Diamonds are a girl’s Best Friend?”  I’m sure everyone is aware that the commercial is about jewelry sales, it’s also a movie with Marilyn Monroe, and also a song.  No doubt everyone is unique, with different standards for what we are looking for in a best friend.

For example, I can only have one best friend at a time.  Fortunately there are different categories where a best friend is called for:  my longest held best friend has to be my wife.  I knew I loved her before I married her, but time has proven her to be my best friend (I feel that I am worthy of being her best friend).  I recently had a great example of how much my best friend (wife) cares for me, and it seriously touched my heart.  It’s one thing to be told how much you mean to a person, but totally something else to have it demonstrated.  My wife will be my best friend always and forever (whichever is longest).

In retrospect, through life I’ve had friends that I might have considered a best friend, but time has proved otherwise.  Not until I was thirty plus did I meet a friend in of all places at a community meeting, that I truly discover a best friend.  To compare us side by side, we were as different as day and night.  He was retired (he enjoyed 3 retirement pensions), happy go lucky, married 5 times and divorced 4 times, a gambler, a drinker as a young, person, 6’6” tall.  About the only thing we had in common was a kind heart and commitment to the community we lived in and served.  He said the thing he admired about me the most was my commitment and love for my family.  He told me that he had fallen short in that department of his life, and it was now too late to make amends.

Many great things that happened in my life, including my career, I owe to his friendship. He influenced me to start planning for my retirement in my early 30’s.  Except for him I might have gone on taking chances in life (I’m sure successfully) but the planning for my golden years might have suffered.  He passed away at the age of 86, and I still think of him when I say my prayers at night.

I allowed 12 years to go by before I was fortunate enough to identify a new best friend.  I am very careful in the selection process.  Once again my work involvement led to this friendship.  By working together over the years you learn who you can count on when your reputation is on the line.  You learn who has your back when you are not around and your name comes up in a meeting.  We also have similar hobby interests, and loyalty to a four legged companion.  My friend calls me when he hasn’t heard from me for a while, and I will do likewise.  If we only get together 3 or 4 times in a year, we always pick up where we left off the last time we shared a lunch or breakfast.

It goes without saying that all my children are best friends.  They are born with that title, and nothing they do in life will ever result in the loss of that standing.  I also have another best friend category.  This little guy is totally dependent on me, and he knows how to play me. 
 
There is nothing I won’t do for my little Toy Poodle.  He gets a haircut (groomed) more often than I do.  He eats like a king, and lives like one.  Yet what I get back from him I can’t put a price on.  I can never play hide and seek with my granddaughters successfully because he follows me wherever I go.  I even joke that when I leave this world I will leave all my earthly possessions to him (only if my wife is not around anymore).  I know that she also loves him and would leave him at least half of the estate.  The best is yet to come….