I have this magnolia tree in my backyard. It has been there for a long time, I bought it for my wife for her birthday. Anyway, the tree manages to hang on despite my lack of attention to it. The tree is not flourishing, or growing very strong. The tree is just hanging on.
This morning, for my 365 list, I felt inspired to put down “remember friendships.” However, I crossed out the word remember and replaced it with the word cultivate. It seems to me that a good friendship, properly cultivated can grown into something amazing. I am thinking of that Magnolia tree that is in front of the San Diego Zoo in Balboa Park. Compare that tree to my little stick with a few leaves in the backyard and you can witness the comparison of a tree that has been ignored versus a tree that has been cultivated for thousands of years.
Can the friendships that you have with colleagues, family, people that you know become that way? I think they can, however the relationship requires your time, your energy, your enthusiasm. You need to really think about what that friendship needs and spend time cultivating it carefully. I think most of the time, I take friendships for granted. I measure them one interaction at a time, rather then pondering how that relationship has grown over time.
I think you will find, that as you worry more about others, your problems will seem much smaller. I decided to take the time today to think about how I could really help people that I call my friends, and that includes colleagues at work and family at home.
I think this is what The 365 Commitment is all about. We are focusing on what is really important and making sure we spend time on the long term, more life enriching aspirations. I think cultivating friendships is one of them.
Guy Reams(61)
365 Member
Ride at Dawn
