Monday, August 23, 2010

Symbiotic Friendships



This weekend I ran across a box of things from my high school years, including some graduation materials. I didn't remember trading these cards with people, but I obviously did. It was interesting to see all those names from long ago.

One of the things I found was a book where you recorded music, movies and people from that time in your life. About half of the people I listed as friends are people I don't even remember now. I suspect I wouldn't have remembered them two years later.

I think the main reason is that we weren't devoted friends to begin with. Our "friendship" was really only in my mind.

But there's value in everything. And through those experiences I learned what friendship should be and how to create symbiotic relationships. That is a valuable life skill, for sure.

I knew I needed to find people I could connect with. The trick was learning how to make connections. I could debate my success with that, I suppose, but I'm certainly better at it now than I was then.