How to tell who's a true friend

Today I'd like to share a quote comes from Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962), the longest-serving First Lady in U.S. history. She held the post from 1943 to 1945, during President Franklin D. Roosevelt's unprecedented four terms in office.

It seems I discover a new great quote from Roosevelt every so often; I've featured roughly five of them already on this blog.

"Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart."

I think this quote rings true for many of us. We have met more people in our lives than we can remember. And even though the passage of time, death, long distance, or other circumstances might bring certain friendships to an end, we never forget those who have made a positive impact on our lives.

Most of us will always have a special place in our hearts for our closest friends from elementary and high school, for example, even though we may have lost touch with them. Perhaps we shared special moments that are firmly etched in our minds and hearts. What's more, through them we may have learned life lessons that we've carried with us to this day.

If you remain in close contact with old friends from back in the day, consider yourself blessed. As we get older and our lives become more hectic, it doesn't get any easier to make new ones.

On top of that, true friends aren't always easy to find. Most of us have been burned in the past and, as a result, don't give our trust away freely. And rightly so -- trust should be earned.

How do you know whom you can call a true friend? It's simple. They're the ones you'll remember for the rest of your life -- that distinguished group of individuals you'll regale your grandchildren with stories about.

When you have a moment, call or text your closest friends and tell them how much they mean to you. Unfortunately, we can never know how long our friendships are destined to last, so we need to make the most of them now.

Once the chapter of a certain friendship closes, all you'll have are wonderful memories to remember that person by -- and the footprints he or she has left in your heart.

Comments

This will spell the end of your relationship

When asked to think about the most common culprits for a relationship's going south, most people will point to cheating, complacency, and taking one's partner for granted. While these are all valid -- and documented in various posts on this blog -- there are certain habits on the part of partners that may not kill the relationship right away, but cause it to erode more gradually. Among the most egregious of these is expecting your significant other to be perfect. They pick at your follies any chance they get. Nothing you do is ever good enough. In fact, you will never measure up to an ex, neighbor, or accomplished co-worker. Perhaps this all sounds a bit familiar. When you feel as though you're constantly being put under the microscope, it can inflict lasting damage on the relationship and your self-esteem. You're walking on eggshells all the time, praying you don't say or do something that's going to trigger your partner. This is no way to live, let alone ca

No response from someone IS a response

Make no mistake about it: When you don't get a response from someone -- whether they fail to answer your texts or return your phone calls -- it is still a response, and a powerful one at that. When a person fails to respond, it's a direct reflection of their interest -- or lack thereof -- in the relationship. Few things are more aggravating than having to hound a partner, friend, or relative for some sort of reply after we've reached out to them. Yes, we get busy from time to time, but that doesn't give anyone the right to leave the other person hanging. A terse text with something like "Been busy, will reach out soon" doesn't say much, but at least it shows some effort to bring the other person up to speed on why they've fallen off the radar. Failing to provide a response for weeks -- if not months -- communicates that you are just not a priority, and that you'll have to wait your turn to get this individual's attention. This is n

Misconceptions about quiet people

Earlier today, I came across a Facebook page that features motivational quotes intended to improve people's moods and enhance their overall self-esteem. Interestingly, I noticed two quotes that focus specifically on quiet people: "Be afraid of quiet people; they're the ones who actually think." "The quietest people have the loudest minds." I've observed that most people's views of quiet individuals can fall under one of two categories: 1. The ones who say quiet people are antisocial, suspicious, snobbish, and/or full of themselves. 2. The people who say their introspective nature and propensity to be deep in thought makes them smarter than their more garrulous peers. The quotes above speak to this mindset. As an introvert known to be quiet at work and at social functions where I might not know anyone, I feel I'm well positioned to dispel any inaccuracies surrounding quiet folks. First of all, the above statements misguidedly put

How to Understand People

Search This Blog