Things Worth Learning

One of the really good things about being around a while, is getting a little wiser. If you're lucky, the longer you're here, the more you learn. And in the grand scheme of things that's a good thing. More knowledge, better decisions, more happiness, and generally more internal peace.

I'm not talking bout the news or world events here. Those ebb to flow. Good news, bad news, no news, it's all a blur. And that kind of knowledge although valuable to have is just knowledge. It's fact. I'm talking here about the important stuff. The stuff that makes us who we are as a person.

I am a very curious person by nature, and a question that I have consistently asked myself internally is what I bring to the party. Maybe you have too. Do the things I say, or the way I make people feel really impact them in a positive way? Do I make the same difference to them, as many do to me? That's a fair and common question to ask. I don't think that question comes from low self esteem for most. I think it comes from modesty. Modest people are good people. Most people don't sit around fog-horning, "Yea well, I really make a difference to so and so with my vast knowledge of such and such.......blah blah....." And if they do, then they more than likely would have the potential for the self low self esteem card to come into play.

The reason I bring this up, is that at no time have I had the quality of people in my daily life that I do now. In uncertain times, it's comforting to know that as I negotiate through my day, the people in my day are ones that through their actions, words and deeds, are teaching me things I that didn't know.....that I didn't know. When those around you not only help you look at things from a different angle, or multiple different angles, it makes you better if your paying attention. As you go down the road, people weave in and out of your life that leave their hand print on you. Experience helps you weed out the ones who have nothing for you to learn from, and helps you gravitate towards the ones that do.

It's a basic lesson our parents taught us as kids, "Choose your friends wisely." We don't always do that very well as youngsters, but as time goes on, we seem to do a better job. I love learning from my friends, and from the powerful people in my life. And they are all ages, and from all kinds of places. It's good to know that as I wake up every day, the people I am going to see, and spend the most time with, hear from and talk with, are more than likely going to open my eyes and teach me something that I didn't know before. That makes me happy during the day, and helps me sleep better at night. Always a good thing.

Got me thinking maybe I should tell them more often how much how much I value them, and care for them. And how important their gifts are, with their goodness that they choose to share with me. Maybe I just did. And I learned that lesson this week from a friend that lead by example.

Blessed you are in life, if you have people with the ability to share things with you that are worth knowing. Maybe that's why if you have friends in your life for years or decades they are more than just friends, they are powerful people, worth knowing, and are always teaching you something you didn't know before.

And the good news there is, it would seem you are to them ....as they are to you.