Friday Thought - August 14, 2009
I like quotes. I have a particular weakness for profound, inspiring ones–but I’ll never turn down a witty one-liner or a quick observance, either. This week, though, I’d rather take a break from the quotes and aim for a little chat à la Andy Rooney for the Friday Thought.
Alex with six people he appreciates a lot (though Dave, Mike, and Luke are all missing in this older photo!)
Is there someone in your life who you really appreciate? Maybe it’s a friend, a spouse, or a family member. Perhaps it’s someone you see each day–a coworker who always puts on the pot of coffee a little earlier than usual so you can enjoy an 8:00 cup of joe, or maybe it’s the tollbooth collector who knows your name and gives you a friendly smile as you see him on the freeway for a quick moment each weekday afternoon.
Some people get along really well with their neighbors–right now, I only really know one of my neighbors, but she is a real gem. When we moved in, she brought over a ton of cold water and great cheer to help us along. She’s a nice person, and someone who I’d like to get together with again soon. I haven’t always had nice neighbors–usually they were a little too loud for my tastes, but I suppose things could have been much worse.
I always appreciate my family members, even when I don’t say it. My family is large–I have four sisters, countless cousins, and over half a dozen aunts and uncles. It’s not always easy telling each person that I appreciate them, but I promise: I always do keep them on my mind. Always.
In college, I had a penpal. She was from California, and though we lost touch recently, I still appreciate all of our letters that we wrote back and forth. One day I’d like to start up our conversation again–but for right now, I’ll look back on our old letters and appreciate those.
I appreciate certain television personalities, though they’re far from being on the top of my list of most important people. It’s still nice seeing them each day, whether it be in a rerun or a live newscast. I appreciate their work, even though I’ve never met them in person.
It’s easy to appreciate coworkers. You see them more than anyone else, I’d be willing to bet. They each have a personality that’s vibrant and unique. I know I’m lucky in that department–we’re quite the interesting group here at Movers.com.
And, of course, I appreciate my friends. Friendship isn’t something that keeps itself up, and it’s not always easy to balance it. If ever I’ve seemed to forget about a friend, I can tell you that I probably haven’t. I still remember meeting lifelong friends my first day of pre-kindergarten class. Though I haven’t talked with a lot of them in quite some time, I still remember them. And I have many college friends I need to get back in touch with. Maybe once this sultry summer weather moves out, I’ll be able to host some more dinner parties and see them all again. After all, isn’t autumn a time for coming together?
In the end, I suppose appreciate a lot of people for different reasons. And believe it or not, I’ve left quite a few people off that list (mostly because I didn’t want to write a novel here). Ah, well–like everything else in life, listing my appreciation is a work in progress.
Who do you appreciate in your life, and what makes them so special to you?
