The Value of Friendship

The older I get the more I value good friendships. Perhaps as a young man engaged in achieving athletic and career success, I plowed forward and didn’t make time to develop quality relationships. I had a couple. And they meant a lot to me; yet I probably I didn’t see the value in them enough to prioritize them and intentionally deepen them.

Ironically, one of the things that started turning me more into this direction was an interview I read with Don Henley, one of the original founders of the rock band the Eagles. The way he spoke of the people he valued in his life made me want to have relationships like that. He described the guys that he wrote and played music with. The young men that he initially left his home in Texas to come further west to be with and embark on a career in music. It seemed like a fraternity of guys that banded together with a common dream of making it big. Even if the dream didn’t materialize (which of course it did...probably bigger than any of them could have imagined), they’d be pursuing it together, giving it their best shot and wouldn’t have to look back in mid life with regrets for failing to venture out onto the quest.

Maybe they accomplished so much because they did it together. Dreams that may have been too scary to pursue alone were now a little more attainable. When discouragement came knocking on the door and attempted to derail the dream, at least one the troubadours wouldn’t open that door and would keep the train on the tracks.

Often common interests and dreams bring people together, but it takes a commitment to engage in friendship building to deepen these connections and really make something out of them. Just like Don Henley, Jackson Browne, Glenn Frey, J.D. Souther, et.al, can look back and reminisce with each other on their incredible journey ...how rewarding in life to have close friends that have been with you. Encouraging each other and facing down whatever giants are out there together. It’s a well known statement, but still true: "Shared sorrow is half sorrow, shared joy is double joy."

No wonder the wisest man of all, Solomon, declared, "a friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity" Pr. 17:17. And "... there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother" Pr. 18:24

There are a few guys in my life now that I won’t let a couple weeks go by without checking in with them. There are more of them out there too. Maybe for you as well...go ahead pick up the phone...