The longer we live, the more important our friends become.
C. J. Filbin and I played together before we started to school and we still keep in close touch. A favorite elementary teacher, though I was never in her first grade class, the beautiful and talented Bea Lively Beall, is often in my cherished recollections.
Walter Winchell defined a friend as the “One who walks in when the rest of the world walks out.” Frank Crane said a friend is “A person with whom you dare to be yourself.” The Bible calls a friend “The medicine of life.”
In 1964 I took the most satisfying, enjoyable and challenging job of my life in Decatur, Illinois, the birth city of the NFL’s Chicago Bears. Recently, I read in the Decatur Tribune about the death of Kenneth Reining, well known in the city and area during his long years of employment at Caterpillar.
Prior to moving to Decatur, I was often in contact with Ken. He was the Chairman of the Board and highly respected in the corporation of my new employer. Jim Soules, chairman of the Search Committee, was the one who called to tell me I had been elected to the position.
On my last visit to that terrific city I had the privilege of an unexpected meeting with Ken Reining, at Peoples Church, Sunday evening, May 22nd, 2005. In our few minutes together we talked about past years and events and expressed our mutual love and appreciation for each other and our friendship of many years and a final embrace. I left that city the next day with a happy heart.
I suggest these ways to keep friendships alive.
1.- Keep in touch with friends by letters, e-mails, phone calls, Christmas cards with a personal message and a visit when possible.
2.- When visiting in a friend’s area, call in advance and try to arrange a time together.
3.- Pictures can be shared of the past and present. They often bring pleasure.
4.- From junior high through college years I lettered in five different sports. It is always fun to be with former teammates. We all get better with each passing year except for those who were genuine stars. They were always as good as the rest of us wish we were.
5.- Get in touch with somebody today who has been a friend and with whom you have had little contact in recent years.
6.- Stay in touch with your family. Check on them soon.
The ultimate meaning of friendship is wrapped up in the words of Jesus who said, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends’ (John 15:13). With the coming Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years celebrations make it a point to again touch the life of a treasured friend.
Think for a moment about the places you have lived and the friendships that were formed in schools, neighborhoods, churches, clubs, with teams, community projects, camps, conventions and all the other venues where you met people.
One 96 year-old lady, Pauline Rice, lovely, beautiful and sweet, told me several months ago in Anderson, Indiana, that she often is noticed smiling and laughing by nurses in her assisted living home. When they ask why, she replies, “Oh, I’m just reliving memories with my wonderful friends.” We can do that at any age. Live a little of life over every day with our best friends. Continue to treasure those friendships.
Try writing your own friendship story. Memories almost always help us to focus on those wonderful people we call friends. Nothing is more important than our friends. Keep in touch.
Publisher's Note: Bill Ellis, Award Winning
Syndicated Columnist, P.O. Box 345, Scott Depot, WV 25560.
Phone:304-757-6089
www.BillEllis.Net.
