Friendship

"The reward of friendship is itself. The man who hopes for anything else does not understand what true friendship is." -- St. Alfred of Rievaulx

"The way to make a true friend is to be one. Friendship implies loyalty, esteem, cordiality, sympathy, affection, readiness to aid, to help, to stick, to fight for, if need be.... Radiate friendship and it will return sevenfold." -- B.C. Forbes

"Friendship has splendor that love knows not. It grows stronger when crossed, whereas obstacles kill love. Friendship resists time, which wearies and severs couples. It has heights unknown to love." -- Mariama Ba

"There is nothing on this earth more to be prized than true friendship." -- St. Thomas Aquinas

"True friendship ought never to conceal what it thinks." -- St. Jerome

"Friendship, like money, is a trust, a stewardship, a responsibility." -- William A. Ward

"I keep my friends as misers do their treasure, because, of all the things granted us by wisdom, none is greater or better than friendship." -- Pietro Arentino

I like that last quote the best and I've used often over the years. However, it hasn't been until recently that I've delved into my friendships and what they really, deep down, mean to me.

I consider myself fortunate in that I seem to have quite a few friends who care a great deal about me. I've always considered myself the type of person who will be there for my friends, to lend them any help that I possibly can.

On the flip side of the coin, I am not one to reach out to my friends for help. In fact, I often shun help at times when I need it most and, at times, shut myself off the rest of the world, especially when I need help emotionally.

When it comes to the world of sports, which both my personal and professional life pretty much revolve around, I wear my emotions on my sleeve. It's not hard to tell what I'm thinking or what's going on with me when I'm on the field or at the arena.

However, away from the games, I tend to be much more reserved emotionally. I will always put on a smile and have a laugh ready, even on days when I'm pissed off or depressed.

Of late, I've found three of my friends, all women, to be of great help. Without a doubt, my closest friends are all guys. They've proven their friendship to me time and time again by being there for me when I've need it. However, talking about my problems with them is something I've never been comfortable about doing. Why is that? Well, the answers are probably many and varied. I've considered the reasons and realize, especially now, that most of them are irrational.

However, these three ladies, J, L and KB, have proven their friendship to me as well. They have taken the time to listen to me, to console me, to help me come up with some of the answers I'm looking for.

Is my mental frame of mind well these days? No, not really. Does it seem to be getting better? Marginally. J told me many months ago that every guy needs a female friend he can talk to and, especially now, I couldn't agree more.

Someday, once again, everything in my life will be moving in the right direction and all will be well. I'm not there yet but I'm confident I will be. I still need to work out some problems but I know I have some good people who will lend an ear, lend their heart, lend their caring and concern to help me find what I'm looking for and to get where I need to go.

To all my friends, I say thank you for all you do. To J, L and KB, what your inspiration, your caring and concern, your love and your friendship means to me is something I can never adequately thank you for. I'm sure I will be leaning on you more in near future and only hope that you can continue to support me. Please know, I will always be there to do the same.