If you’ve visited for a while, you know that my topics vary. I’m probably about 80% photography, 20% other. So, if you are looking for a photography post, you might want to head on an look elsewhere, because it ain’t here today! 
Robert Louis Stevenson:
A friend is a gift you give yourself
I’m 46 and have been through the most intense 3 years of my life and things are still changing. Mind you, intense means just that, intense. It doesn’t mean that the changes were bad. In fact, they were all very good, healthy, cleansing, and painful. I had to shake off a lot of negative baggage that I’ve been carrying around for longer than I care to remember.
I haven’t been able to think of anything to say about photography lately, so I thought that I’d talk about friends and how important they are. I have a few good friends, and one very best friend. I’d like to start the best friend and then mention the others, not in any particular order, but as they come to me.
My best friend
Without a doubt, my best friend is my wife Vera. I know that sounds cliche, but it is the truth. For anyone who has befriended my wife, they know that there is no one more caring, sensitive, and loyal than her. She is my number one advocate and will tell me when she thinks that I am wrong, but it will always be delivered with a heavy dosage of compassion and thought. She always thinks that I can improve. This is not in a nagging way, but in a teaching way. She’s taught me so much in the past three years. Because of her, I have a much better relationship with my boys and my friends. She’s showed me how to really care about other people, even if I don’t agree with them … especially if I don’t agree with them. She’s a great spiritual leader. She is my heart and I could find no better. I believe that. She is pictured here to the right, with her best friend Tamami, who is Richard’s wife. He thinks the same of his wife. We’re both right! I’m not so sure of what my wife was laughing about, but I’m pretty sure that it was some wisecrack that Richard made!
Gordon
Gordon and I have been friends since 10th grade. That would be about 31 years. We used to live together for a while when we first moved to Texas. He’s married and still lives in Texas but we talk about once or twice every two weeks and he visits me once or twice per year and I visit him whenever I’m in Dallas. Gordon brings a lot of patience and understanding to the table. Sometimes when I just want to pop off and do something, he’s a great calming influence. He’s laid back. We also love to joke around. I could imagine a heck of a time if all 3 of us got together, Gordon, Richard, and me. Tony, my son, likes to hang around with me and Gordon because all we do is tell lies about how bad the other one was in high school. Neither one of us ever got into trouble, but to hear us tell it, we were always bailing the other one out of jail! 
Richard
You’ve heard me talk about him and he is the self-proclaimed “student”. Hah, I think that I’ve learned a lot more about things from him than he could ever learn from me. He brings a great wisdom to the table, especially about marriage. He’s been married over 20 years, so he’s about 5 years ahead of me. He and I talk about 2 or 3 times per week. He lives in the Dallas area, too. He and I will be going to Utah together this weekend. At first, Richard is rather quiet, but if you get him going, he can have you in stitches very quickly! He’s got quite a good sense of humor!!! Our wives are best friends and I think that we are climbing that ladder too. This will be our first trip together, ever. Our wifes hang out together regularly. We like to joke and say that they catch airplanes like most people catch buses! They try to see each other once per month, swapping flights every other month. We wish, of course, that they could be our next door neighbors here in North Carolina, but they have many ties in the Dallas area.
Hobbs
Well, you guys know about Hobbs, my Miniature Schnuazer. He’s the best. He’s always happy to see me. Always happy to take me for a walk and is there to comfort me whenever I need it.
So, those are a few of my closest friends. What about yours? Who are they? How long have you known them? How did you meet?
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One Response to “Friendship”
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Well it seems a lot of people are looking at the blog but no one is stepping up to the plate. I’ll do it! i have a wide variety of friends that I’ve known for long periods of time and some for not so long. Each of them brings their own piece of the puzzle that makes up this continuos developing abstract that makes up my life. I think the term friends is one that we all take for granted. These are the few people in your life that you know always have your best interest at heart but sometimes get lost in the shuffle of everyday life and we don’t find the opportunity to let them know how much they mean to us. Think about it, when is the last time your told a close friend how much you appreciate them? So Paul I commend you for taking the time to talk about friends and I ‘am very glad to be a part of your circle and I too have learned a lot from you and that is the sign of a healthy friendship because you never stop learning from each other. I’m looking forward to our trip to Utah and I can assure you we will have an outstanding time. I still have not been able to locate a number for “The Moonshine Depot” I guess we will just find it when we get there? See you soon my friend.