Never Forget Your Friends

[Rams]

Just received this in an email from someone high on my friends list.   Thought I'd share.

Never Forget Your Friends

                                                                                                                                                                                                           
A newlywed young man was sitting on the porch on a humid day, sipping ice
tea with his Father.

As he talked about adult life, marriage, responsibilities, and obligations,
the Father thoughtfully stirred the ice cubes in his glass and cast a clear,
sober look on his Son.

"Never forget your friends," he advised, "they will become more important as
you get older." "Regardless of how much you love your family and the
children you happen to have, you will always need friends. Remember to go
out with them occasionally (if possible), but keep in contact with them some
how."

"What strange advice!" thought the young man. "I just entered the married
world, I am an adult and surely my wife and the family that we will start
will be everything I need to make sense of my life."

Yet, he obeyed his Father; kept in touch with his friends and annually
increased their number.

Over the years, he became aware that his Father knew what he was talking
about. In as much as time and nature carry out their designs and mysteries on
a person, friends are the bulwarks of our life.

After 70 years of life, here is what he, I and you will have learned:

Time passes.

Life goes on

Children grow up.

Children cease to be children and become independent. And to the parents,
it breaks their heart but the children are separated of the parents because
they begin their own families.

Jobs / careers come and go.

Illusions, desires, attraction, sex....weakens.

People can't do what they did physically when they were young.

Parents die but you move on.

Colleagues forget the favors you did.

The race to achieve slows.

But, true friends are always there, no matter how long or how many miles
away they are. A friend is never more distant than the reach of a need,
intervening in your favor, waiting for you with open arms or in some way
blessing your life.

When we started this adventure called LIFE, we did not know of the
incredible joys or sorrows that were ahead.

We did not know how much we would need from each other.

Love your parents, take care of your children, but keep a group of good
friends.

Stay in touch with them but do not impose your criteria.

Send this to your friends (even those you seldom see) who help make sense of

your life... I just did.


There's a lot of truth in there.  Especially within this Valkyrie family.

Rams

[scooperhsd]

"Friends are the family you choose". I've lived my life to this point following this.

[old2soon]

      NEVER ceases to Amaze me how many folks I would have most likely Never met had it Not been for a M/C that has been out of production for 18 years-I've only been retired a bit over 12 years-and our electronic club house and our annual rallies we call Inzane. Many of the Friendships here are as strong as the Friendships I made in The Navy although truth be told last time I talked with a Squadron mate was back in the early 70s! While I am on the board most days I do also make and receive the occasional phone call to some. As mentioned-I CHOOSE to be here and have FRIENDS here!  RIDE SAFE.

[John Schmidt]

A lot of truth in those words. Sadly, I just learned last evening from another friend that a mutual friend had passed away last Friday, 26th of Feb. We had worked together quite a few years, even after retirement I would stop to chat in person plus stay in touch via phone. When my first wife left for another, my friend and his wife came to see me. His wife sat my driveway and cried over what life had just handed me. After Rita passed in 2019, I stopped to see them and she cried again. Last night I called her after learning of her loss of my friend, she was thrilled to hear from me and was shedding tears on the phone. Next time I'm in Florida, she will be one of the first people I'll stop to see. No doubt there be some tears from both of us.

A true friend knows both the best and worst about you....and is still your friend.

[Valkorado]

A true friend knows both the best and worst about you....and is still your friend.

That's because he or she knows you have a pile of dirt on them, too!   

BUT SERIOUSLY a great thread, and good observations.

[RainMaker]

Well said. And it's never too late to make new friends!

RainMaker

[old2soon]

        Heard this before but here goes-a Friend will help you move. A BRO will help you hide a body. RIDE SAFE.

[Oss]

A friend is someone who likes you

Is the road to visit a friend ever too far?

I have found that owning a Valkyrie, has opened the door to many friendships

YMMV

[The emperor has no clothes]

I never have forgotten my friends. But I’ve got to admit, I’m pretty terrible about keeping in touch. Thanks for the reminder. 

[da prez]

A friend walks in when everyone else  walks out.

                         da prez

[pais]

My Father showed me this, but never put it into words.

[3fan4life]

A true friend knows both the best and worst about you....and is still your friend.

That's because he or she knows you have a pile of dirt on them, too!   

BUT SERIOUSLY a great thread, and good observations.

True friends have Tons of Dirt on each other but would never dream of revealing it to anyone.

Thank God for Friends like that! 

[Jess from VA]

Friends:

In 6-7th grade, 6 of us buddies rode our bicycles miles up road to the best golf course on the Island (private) one warm summer night.  No one but rich people had swimming pools (none of us did), and we climbed the 6" (locked) fence and went swimming in the very nice Club pool in our cutoffs.  

Well, we made a bunch of noise and a passing cop heard us and drove up and put his lights on us and we were busted (trespassing).  We all climbed back over the the fence and he lined us up and took out his notebook and started asking questions.  At this age, no one had ID or even a wallet.  

The first guy in line gave his name as John Jones (and the game was afoot).  The second guy said he was Bob Smith.  Well the third guy was scared, and although he tried to give a false name, he choked and gave the actual name of the fifth guy in line (dirty looks all around).  The fifth guy was understandably pissed about this, so when it was his turn, he gave the third guy's name (and stuck his tongue out at him).  This got pretty funny and we all started laughing, and the cop knew we were shining him on and then he got pissed.  

With no ID, all we had to do was give false names and stick together.  But we were not hardened criminals (yet) and a couple guys cracked under pressure.  

The cop checked around and found we had not damaged anything, so after a stern talking to, he told us to get out of there and not do it again.

So the six amigos rode back home, after a good adventure.  We were all still friends, but number 3 got an awful lot of ribbing about not being able to come up with a false name. (hey pussy, what's your name?)

[Rams]

Friends:

In 6-7th grade, 6 of us buddies rode our bicycles miles up road to the best golf course on the Island (private) one warm summer night.  No one but rich people had swimming pools (none of us did), and we climbed the 6" (locked) fence and went swimming in the very nice Club pool in our cutoffs.  

That reminds me of the time a large group of college freshmen (co-ed) all went to the city pool and trespassed while skinny dipping.   But, that's a story to tell in person.   

Rams

[Valkorado]

A true friend knows both the best and worst about you....and is still your friend.

That's because he or she knows you have a pile of dirt on them, too!   

BUT SERIOUSLY a great thread, and good observations.

True friends have Tons of Dirt on each other but would never dream of revealing it to anyone.

Thank God for Friends like that! 

Amen.