Be Kind, Friendship; Life is About the Human Connection
"Don’t walk in front of me… I may not follow
Don’t walk behind me… I may not lead
Walk beside me… just be my friend."
It’s the weekend, welcome to Saturday, a day most of us get to sleep in, relax, catch up on those honey do’s, maybe catch a game or two. While some get to relax, others work so keep our work brothers and sisters top of mind, if you go to a store, make sure you are extra kind to those working on your day off.
Keep an eye on the China virus, seems to be growing, could be a big deal this year, might want to get one of those surgical masks just for shits and grins, you never know. I did hear it was transmitted via the eyes, might want to add some snazzy sunglasses or goggles while you are at it. I’m not making light, I think this is serious, but when a disease threatens the entire population, we might need a little concision.
I have this friend; his name is Thaddeus, he’s a unique young man, very bright, well-spoken, he leads various peer groups around the city of Indianapolis. He occasionally refers people to me and every time he connects me, the other person is a rock star. I’m sure you have those referral sources, but I must tip my hat to Thaddeus, he makes my life better by connecting me with amazing humans being.
Yesterday I had lunch with a young man that has started a company that has a mission of connecting like-minded humans. His basis is someone introduced Steve Jobs to Steve Wozniak and because of that introduction our world is a better place. (Android users shut your mouth!).
His name is Aaron, I don’t know his age, I would guess late 20’s maybe 30, but his insight is that of an older man, it’s a simple concept but a powerful idea that can help change society. He has a question set he gives people, once the questions are complete, he reviews and matches you to people of like mind. Maybe business is generated, maybe a friendship is born, maybe an idea to change the world is hatched over coffee, it’s a rather interesting idea that I think can spread like that disease from China.
He asked me what my greatest legacy will be, and I quickly replied, “my children.” He asked what’s the one thing I’ve learned in my life that everyone else should know and I said: “Be kind.” He asked my favorite quote and I answered, “Be yourself, everyone else is taken. – Oscar Wilde.” His last question was, “what is your big hairy ass goal,” and I answered, “changing the perception of an entire industry.”
He's going to send me his questionnaire; he asked me to take a week and complete it, I will follow his lead and then allow him to get into my head, I’m intrigued by his model, I plan on helping him build his brand. If you are intrigued, send me a message and I’ll connect you with Aaron, he’s a bright young man with a penchant for created long-lasting, deep relationships.
We have a lawyer friend; his name is Mike, he refers us business, he is a fellow Midwesterner, we have similar values and work ethic. We met him for a drink last night at our local bar, we talked about various issues, ideas, and we might have solved all the worlds problems, if true, you can thank us later.
One of the issues we discussed was the lack of tradespeople coming out of our school system. He plays in this field of skilled and unskilled labor and he did have some good news. The tide has turned, there is a growing number of qualified applicants entering the trades field. I’ve thought for years; not everyone should go to college, many kids should pick up a trade and enjoy the spoils of life without the burdensome debt of a four-year degree. If you have kids, understand college is not for everyone.
I have another friend, come to think of it, I have a lot of friends, I truly believe life is about the human connection and my goal every day is to meet and connect with strangers. But I digress, this other friend's name is Nate, Nate is about 28 years old and a successful entrepreneur. Nate didn’t go to college, he took a couple of classes at Ivy Tech and then grew his small D.J. business into an event planning company, he’s killing it, I love this kid, he’s become a very good friend to my Queen and I and has been hanging out with our kid as well. Nate is an example of someone deciding to skip college and create an amazing profitable company.
I think it interesting how we meet new people. Most folks I connect with are referred by others, but sometimes social media plays a key role. Rewinding the tape, I met Thaddeus via LinkedIn and after meeting formed a lifelong friendship. I met Aaron via Thaddeus and young Nate noticed I was at Red Rocks at the same show he attended and reached out for lunch.
I have this attitude that if someone asks to meet, I will give them my time, sometimes via phone, sometimes virtually, many times face to face. The more people I meet, the more full my life becomes, I’ll say it again, life is about the human connection.
Tonight, we are heading over to our friends Scott and Val’s house. We will eat, drink, laugh, and listen to some music. I met Scott via social media, he went to school with my Queen, dated her sister and after connecting on social media realized we had a few things in common. We met them out for dinner years ago and formed a lifelong friendship.
A couple of years ago, they invited us to their lake house, we spent the night and met another couple, Kurt and Julia, they too have become lifelong friends. Julia is beautiful and kind, Kurt is a weirdo, but we tolerate him. Kidding, of course, Kurt is wonderful as well.
When Kurt and Julia's daughter was getting married, they needed someone to drive their daughter when leaving the wedding, they had met my daughter and her finance and wondered if they would be willing to do the job. They did and now, when my daughter gets married, Kurt and Julia will be in attendance.
I saw an article yesterday that almost 50% of adults claim they are lonely. I was taken aback, how can one be lonely in the greatest society ever created. I am the least lonely person on this planet; I have a bevy of friends, family, and the love of my life. I encourage you to reach out and connect with similarly minded humans, maybe that next connection will form a bond that can change the world.
"Don’t walk in front of me… I may not follow
Don’t walk behind me… I may not lead
Walk beside me… just be my friend."