Hippos don't die
(they just fade away)
Work provides a rare opportunity to stay in touch. At times - times like now - I have nothing to do because I've completed all my work and asked for more, and there's simply no more to be done at the moment. It's also known as a slow day.
This provides opportunities to stay in touch with people. I send e-mails, check messages, try and stay in touch. I can't emphasize how important this is.
I have two friends, Nate and Martin. Their ways of handling people are very different.
For years, I WAS Martin. Consistently forgetful, unreliable, wonderful to be around when present but never present when I was supposed to be. This is probably why I like Martin a lot despite his faults - he is me, or I was him, and probably still am to some extent. I realized I was hurting my friends, but I couldn't get my life in order enough to fix it. There was no intent at all - just disorganization.
Then, at college, I met Nate. Well, I knew him from before, was even friends with him, but I got to see him in action. He attended more of his friends speeches, concerts, awards, presentations, you name it, he was there. He never forgot. And he had HUNDREDS of friends. Everybody loved him, despite the fact that he was pulled in 19 directions he still managed to go out of his way to make everybody feel cared about. And this happened year...after year... after year.
Gradually, over college, I changed. I'm somewhere in between the two now. I have been in fantastic touch with my college friends. I am sending IM's and messages to my high school friends, who I must work extra hard at seeing as how they took the brunt of me not talking before. I stay in better touch with my family, with my relationships, with my friends.
Part of it is getting in a habit. A message a day, or an IM a week, or a post in a blog on a consistent basis. I refuse to revert back to the way I was. I may not be perfect, but I'm better.
The change? Martin and I have now on our third consecutive month of seeing each other once a week. There has not been a single miss. We've occasionally had to reschedule, but he now gives me prior notice. He's called me twice to let me know he'll be 15 minutes late for a 9 PM meeting - and not at 9 either, he calls at 8:30 or 8:45. People can change for the better.
So here's to improvement! Give me someone who is imperfect and trying hard to change over someone who is perfect but can't change any day. To those who refuse to remain complacent to their own faults, I commend you. Raise my glass? You bet your ass!
Work provides a rare opportunity to stay in touch. At times - times like now - I have nothing to do because I've completed all my work and asked for more, and there's simply no more to be done at the moment. It's also known as a slow day.
This provides opportunities to stay in touch with people. I send e-mails, check messages, try and stay in touch. I can't emphasize how important this is.
I have two friends, Nate and Martin. Their ways of handling people are very different.
For years, I WAS Martin. Consistently forgetful, unreliable, wonderful to be around when present but never present when I was supposed to be. This is probably why I like Martin a lot despite his faults - he is me, or I was him, and probably still am to some extent. I realized I was hurting my friends, but I couldn't get my life in order enough to fix it. There was no intent at all - just disorganization.
Then, at college, I met Nate. Well, I knew him from before, was even friends with him, but I got to see him in action. He attended more of his friends speeches, concerts, awards, presentations, you name it, he was there. He never forgot. And he had HUNDREDS of friends. Everybody loved him, despite the fact that he was pulled in 19 directions he still managed to go out of his way to make everybody feel cared about. And this happened year...after year... after year.
Gradually, over college, I changed. I'm somewhere in between the two now. I have been in fantastic touch with my college friends. I am sending IM's and messages to my high school friends, who I must work extra hard at seeing as how they took the brunt of me not talking before. I stay in better touch with my family, with my relationships, with my friends.
Part of it is getting in a habit. A message a day, or an IM a week, or a post in a blog on a consistent basis. I refuse to revert back to the way I was. I may not be perfect, but I'm better.
The change? Martin and I have now on our third consecutive month of seeing each other once a week. There has not been a single miss. We've occasionally had to reschedule, but he now gives me prior notice. He's called me twice to let me know he'll be 15 minutes late for a 9 PM meeting - and not at 9 either, he calls at 8:30 or 8:45. People can change for the better.
So here's to improvement! Give me someone who is imperfect and trying hard to change over someone who is perfect but can't change any day. To those who refuse to remain complacent to their own faults, I commend you. Raise my glass? You bet your ass!
Labels: Friendship, Reminiscing, You Can't Stop Me
posted by Mat | 5:22 PM
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