The boy from Florida

I have few friends in Richmond this time around. Most of my friends live in other states (Louisiana, New York, Florida, and California) or countries (Italy). The closest distance to one of them...eight hours by car!

Well, Friday afternoon I received a call from the friend in Florida. He had flown up for business in D.C. and wanted to know if I wanted to go to a movie that night. I said yes, automatically knowing what that meant; he was going to drive down to Richmond to see me. This was exactly what I needed to hear.

The last few weeks I had been thinking about the role and importance of friends in ones life. Then last week, having been contacted by people from the past made me think about the quality of those friendships and their effect on how you think about yourself. Late last year, I had to walk away from a very problematic long-term friendship that was effecting how I viewed myself and acted toward others. I'm still a bit wary to put myself back out there.

It's great to have tried and true people in your life. And Florida friend is one of them. The last few years, we have both made some major changes in our lives, switching the direction of the paths we were following. We are making sacrifices (social lives), taking on debt (lots), and constantly looking for clues that we are on the right path. Our conversations are always full of mutual words of support and encouragement. If I immediately pooh-pooh an idea that I had or say that I can't do something, he always says "Why not?" His belief in me is a welcome change from what I was hearing from others before last fall. We all need someone in our corner.

He always amazes me with his lust for life and the fact that he is a hard worker who knows not to skimp on a good time. I have every belief that he will reach any goal that he attempts. In fact, I was surer of his passing the Florida Bar on his first try than he was!

We ended up driving around the city, eating good food, doing things, and going places that I never experienced in all my years in this city. It was great.

S----, thank you for the visit! It was exactly what I needed.