Friendship is something dear to my heart. My whole life, and even now as a middle-aged man, I have yearned for close friends. Not just surface level acquaintances or social media followers, but true friends. Friends where I can go deep. Friends with whom I can delve into the darkest recesses of my soul.

Genuine friendships can fill a specific and necessary place in our lives. A place to share and grow and vent and laugh without the entanglements and emotional hot buttons we often have with our partners and family. Attached without attachment.

In olden times, when a man went to battle or to a duel, he would bring his Second. His lieutenant. His wing man. In fact, this fellow would say something along the lines of, “I am your man.” He had your back—sometimes literally with a shield. He stood at your side through thick and thin. 

These kinds of deep, fulfilling friendships are not always easy to find. And when we do find them, they can take years and even decades to nurture. Yet the return is so worth the investment. Even one stalwart friend can ease and bless our journey through this life in ways we can’t imagine.

I have never had a great many friends, but I have been blessed by a few great ones throughout my life.

Some have lasted. And they continue to enrich my life year after year.

Some have faded away either consciously or by circumstance. And even though they are no longer a part of my day-to-day, they have left an indelible mark on my heart that can never be erased.

To all my friends past, present and future, I thank you. I am forever grateful for you. You have made life truly worth living.

To your good fortune!