While I’ve explored and eaten my way through my past five years in China, I’ve developed more than my palate. Tonight at The Bookworm, as I sat over a plate of ribs and a couple glasses of wine, I chanced upon a realization worth sharing. My journey these past few years has taken me into many kitchens and found myself at many a table. Tonight, the table I shared with a friend, brought me to these words.
There are moments in life we are able to notice, only if we are lucky. I feel like time moves more quickly with every year that passes. It is something I used to hear ‘the adults’ express when I was younger. It is now something I experience.
Life is far from a flat line beep across a screen. We have to remember that until it comes to that point, we are lucky — very lucky. I feel lucky. I have often felt lucky by events in my life that have passed, but tonight I’ve crossed another threshold.
As I pause, short of breath from the moment which has recently passed, I realize I am lucky to have met the people I’ve met thus far. They have stories that inspire. They possess triumphs after challenges our minds and hearts can barely fathom! We feel diminished at times as we hear their heroic tales.
However, while I have half the mind to remember, despite my awe and admiration; I’d like to remind myself as well as anyone who feels the same that it is no surprise we encounter the amazing people we do. We have all heard the old adage, ‘Birds of a feather, flock together.’ Tonight for a moment I realized the amazing truth behind this phrase and hope to remember it, tomorrow.
How often do we surround ourselves by people we don’t admire? Hopefully not often. There are quite a few friends and family we’ve been fortunate enough to know and bask in their inspiration. These relationships do not flow in one direction. As much as you are friends with them because of their love, you are friends with them because they inspire you to be a better you. I believe the connection flows deeper. As much as you deem them amazing, they surely find you as awe-inspiring. Perhaps, you are a positive reflection of the best they can be.
Even as you go through your most challenging phases in life, the friends who remain at your side are those who are strengthened by their own challenges. Hoping to share their strength with you, they saddle you upright upon your own challenges. For much the same wonderful reasons you have chosen the amazing people in your life as friends, they have chosen YOU. It’s easy to forget this.
Your friends want you to be the best possible you, you can be. They want you happy. Your real friends will be there as you near the person you can be proud of. It isn’t about the you who makes them proud. It’s about the ‘you’, you become proud of. Your friends will love you at any stage of you, but they will also always believe in your potential and the good ones will give a piece of themselves to see you to your ultimate success.
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Paused for a moment and deeply moved. I am ‘lucky’ to be on a level where I can comprehend what you wrote. It is a love like no other…
Cristina, it’s that empathy I believe our friendship thrives upon. All I can say is thank you and I’m lucky to know you. xo
i’m a bear not a bird but i will still flock to u. i think those friends who are happy for you genuinely when you achieve something u want to, and they don’t look at you funny and then after a split second say “oh congratulations” and walk off, those are the friends u need to keep by you
again, u can have the belly piece of me. and little toe, and if u feed me again u can have my big toe too
noch xx
Noch… you are a funny one… I completely agree with you. It’s no longer just about being there for the celebrations and pitfalls, but throughout the journey as well. Hong Shao Pinky Toe coming up! <3
What a lovely post, Shanti! You are so right. We are who we are because of the family and friends who surround and support us. I don’t think I could ever make it on the journey of life if I didn’t meet the many people I’ve met along away. Thank you for reminding me how important good friends are.
Thanks Pat! We can’t go far without remembering those who push us forward. That support network has its empowering affect within our online communities as well.
Disclaimer: I just stumbled upon this site yesterday, but I’ll be back (obviously).
Deep and true thoughts, that some of us have maybe already thought but seldomly – if ever – manage to express them with the right words, which you managed nicely. So, are you you yet?
Hi Levente,
Thanks for posing the question that keeps me thinking forward. ~Shanti
Not sure if we ever reach a final point of who we are, as we change every day. I can only measure who I am at different points in retrospect. These past couple weeks since I wrote this post have found new incarnations of me since then. My few posts since this one are a shy indication that a lot has been happening offline. Change isn’t always, easy, but the ones of recent days are ultimately good. I’m infinitely closer to the me I’ll be in the next moment.