The best relationships are based on friendship

If you want to have good friends, who love you, and care about you, you must first learn to be a good friend. What you give, you will receive in return. That’s just the way it is. If you are rich and famous and beautiful, you will have lots of artificial friends. For lack of a better word, let’s call them hanger ons. Lose your status, and you will also lose your artificial friends.

Do you truly love others? Perhaps it would be a good idea to ask yourself, “just how much of myself am I my willing to give to another person”? Be honest with yourself, really honest. If you find yourself hesitating or even cringing, possibly you need to do some work on being a better friend.

Recently I spoke at a Rotary club in Vero Beach Florida. The club was like an extended family or long time friends. These people really cared about each other. Even more impressive was the way they cared about the world in general. Giving of themselves came naturally to them. While I was there I met a gentleman by the name of Joe. He was lively, warm and very welcoming. During our conversation, he revealed to me that he had just turned 100 years old last week. I was shocked. He did not appear anywhere near that age.

Later that day, I asked myself, if his attitude and obvious love for other people played any part in his seemingly healthy longevity? Without a doubt that was my conclusion.

I can honestly tell you that I truly need other people. Self-examination tells me that it is that fact, that motivates me to constantly try to improve my personal relationships. I love my friends and family, and they are the backbone of my success.

How about you? Now I ask you, are you willing to give more than you receive? Start now, start today. Go that one step further when a friend needs you. What you receive in return is priceless.