I continue to have a recurring thought that I mean to blog.  It's sparked each time by something new.  This time is was rediscovering a 'dinner gift' a couple of my guy friends brought over a number of weeks ago after reading how you should always bring a hostess a gift.  It was sparked a time before that by a letter I received in the mail.  And again, by a coffee date a few weeks ago.

The thought? 

I am incredibly blessed by my friends.  

As I've been reading articles and books on writing, I hear the same thing over and over: You need friends who will encourage you.  If they aren't encouraging you in your fight, they aren't your friends.  Ray Bradbury talks about this, about as a young man realizing that the kids teasing his passions weren't really his friends, and later on the powerful part his good friends have played in his career.  The names of these friends appear in almost every chapter of Zen in the Art of Writing.  He's revving readers up to be willing to say goodbyes if needed, but I must say, I have an uncommon level of support.  My good friends who are my age are as much my supporters and encouragers as my parents and coaches, and that seems pretty rare.  And I'm grateful.  I really am.  So, as I clean my room and organize memory after memory and reflect on friend after friend, I keep wanting to tell you, thank you and I love you.  And not just for how you care and support the things I feel called to and passionate about, but also how you love me as a person in the grander scheme, you make me laugh, question, trust and keep moving forward.  You're a good friend, and your love means more than I can say in a blog.  ;)


PS. Dad, Mom, Kimberly & Kristin, I'm counting you as "friends" here.  :P