While heading back to Central Time last weekend, I stopped by my best friend Randy’s house. Randy and I have known each other since high school (we actually played football against each other.) Thanks to girlfriends who knew each other (and later dumped us), we became friends. I don’t have a brother, but if I did, Randy would be him. We’ve gone through similar life events and even were each other’s best men.
We all need friends like Randy. My only regret is that we live 400 miles apart and don’t see each other nearly enough.
Randy has an amazing family. His two 16-year-old daughters are pretty and smart — thankfully he married well (he’d say the same thing about me). And yes, his wife Kelly is a good egg, too. I enjoyed hanging out with them and catching up on their new school year. Randy works about 18 hours a day and is I think working hard on his first heart attack — once again, we are going through similar life events. He, though, has to drive in Atlanta. Thank God I don’t have to do that.
I told him about all that is going on with my life and he just kind of shrugged his shoulders. “You know,” he said, “You look around in traffic and you realize everyone is going through something.” I think I had written something similar a few weeks ago but needed to hear that again. He continued, “I think we go through the bad stuff because it’s the only way we’ll change.”
Randy gave me something to chew on as I headed back to Central Time. I think about all the stuff happening and I know I can’t do a thing about it — other than try to help and commit to changing my life. Two hours with my friend and I got powerful life advice.
The hard times are what make us change for the good. As I crossed back into Central Time, I realized that’s why Randy is such a good friend after all these years.