Friends, People, and Life

I am a people person. I prefer to be around people most all the time. I am at my best when surrounded by energetic, excitable individuals. It is as if I feed off their energy, good or bad. I am my own person, but I assure you every person I encounter in life becomes a little bit of my existence.

It is for this reason that to truly understand me, you must understand my friends and their importance in my life. There is one who is my best friend, and he is my brother in this world, although we are not related. There are times when only my best friend understands me, and times that he is the only person that questions what everyone else agrees upon to be true and correct. I am a better person for having him as a friend.

There is also a network of close personal friends who have altered the course of my life. It is unfortunate, but most of them have no idea the impact they have had on me. Their family adopted me when I first moved to the mid-west, where I knew know one. Others suffered together along side of me as together we learned how to survive in corporate America, and we all lived to fight another day, only this time stronger through our friendship. Some have been roommates, Auburn Grads, fellow Cub fans, NYC drinking buddies or fellow wary travels I met along the way. Many have been more adventuresome than I, and today I live vicariously through them from time to time. They risked everything to chase after their dreams in Japan, Paris, Romania, and a many other destinations around the world. Oh how I love to tell stories about them! In one-way or another, all of these people have changed my perception of life.

Then there is the chance meeting that completely alters my entire life. It could be a random meeting at a dear friends wedding in Guatemala where everyone becomes friends for week or perhaps a lifetime. Or it could be a young banker who was tragically killed only after a few weeks of friendship. That chapter in my life was short, but it will forever be one of the most important.

People are people and life is life, but for me the two are always one in the same. I look forward to remaining close to those who are my friends and I cant wait to meet new people tomorrow.
Who are your friends? How have they changed your life? I would love to hear your story of friendship. Please feel free to post your responses here!