When weekends come, it is usually time for us to get together with friends and family and enjoy all the things that we like to do. We work all week and then use those two short days to unwind, catch up and hopefully just have fun.

This weekend, I was thinking that no matter how old we are, people come into our lives unexpectedly and for one reason another they become an integral part of your life..for life. Many think that this happens by chance. However if you really sit down and look at all of the things that had to line up for those opportunities to materialize, you see the complex set of events that had to take place.

I am a firm believer that people do not come into our lives by chance. I also believe that they don’t come into our lives at certain times by chance either. People come into our lives because they are supposed to be there at just the moment that they were meant to be there. Have you ever looked back at new lasting friendships and said, “boy they came into my life at just the right time?” Well, there was a reason for that. They appeared because they were supposed to appear. They became a part of our core life group because they were supposed be there.

As we travel through life, along the way we pick up people that manage to stay with us through its entirety. I believe that is a part of life’s plan as we go through life’s journey and when you really examine it fully it is such a beautiful thing. However, with that gift of friendship comes responsibility.

Looking across your friend spectrum, it should be pretty easy to find the people that nourish your soul. The people that you want to be around because they make your life better and you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are there for a purpose. How often do we give our time to those that sap our soul because of their neediness, while neglecting those that nourish us because we believe they are always going to be there no matter what? A mistake we often make.

I am fortunate to have some amazing people in my life. My core group of friends who always pick up where we left off as if we see each other every day. A group of new friends in the Mah Jongg world that have become an integral part of my core group and provide caring and support. For that I am thankful. Today, I hope that you have that same core group to nurture and support you and that you in turn nurture and support them equally.

Have a great day and remember to be the reason someone smiles.

Ron