Rare Treasures

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I’ve always been an introvert. As a kid, I sometimes got “kicked out” of the house during the summer because I was as happy curled up on the couch reading Nancy Drew books as I was meeting up with the neighbor kids. Being an introvert isn’t necessarily shyness or social anxiety. It’s a tendency to draw energy from being alone or engaged in solitary activities, rather than drawing energy from being with others in social situations.  

So, I enjoy people, but I don’t need to be with people all the time, and I’m selective about who I spend time with. Tonight, I shared coffee with some of my favorite ladies. We shared deep thoughts, secret fears, childhood memories, and lots of laughs. It was one of those rare moments that we could be real with each other. The time flew by.

I am grateful for friendships like these that make me a better person. “As iron sharpens iron,” the Bible says. They encourage and challenge, comfort and cheer. Friendships can be wonderfully complicated or delightfully simple, but they are built on love and acceptance of each other, “as is.”

As Steve Aitchison said, “True friends are those rare people who come to find you in dark places and lead you back to the light.” Treasure your friends. Make sure they know you appreciate them. 


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