Substance

November 1 was an important day. My dear friend Nina turned 40.

9a Sue is a beautiful person with many admirable qualities. Our friendship has a history of shared experiences and in many chapters of life. Nina is one of the important people in my life that I'd call a close friend.

I've been really touched this past little while at how precious my friends are to me. I have good friends. I have friends who I respect...and that's important. They are people that I admire for their accomplishments and priorities. They are people who give. They are people who love more and hate less. They are people who have matured past trivial pursuits. They are smart enough not to blame others but take responsibility for their own circumstances. They are people I choose to share life with.
But it's even more than that, my friends are people who I care about and care about me in return. Today I received several phone calls and texts of friends just checking on my well being. That's out of love, not for any personal gain. That is a gift that I sometimes don't feel worthy to receive, but it is a gift that is not based on worthiness.