PEOPLE IN PERSPECTIVE

Life brings us into constant contact with lots of people.  At home, we’re surrounded by family. At work, we’re surrounded by idiots, and when we need a reprieve from them both, there’s a whole other group of people we turn to. With all this human interaction, we can sometimes lose sight of who’s who.  It can be difficult to tell who really has our best interests at heart, and sometimes we take for granted those who do in favor of those who really don’t.  I was told once that in life you’re blessed if you have one or two ‘true’ friends; everyone else is an acquaintance. I’ve had my fair share of experiences that confirms these words, and that is why my perspective on people is that they are either family, friends or acquaintances.

If you’ve ever enjoyed any type of organized sport, then you know that being a part of a family is a lot like being on a team. When you first come in the league, you‘re drafted, which means you don‘t get to pick your team (it‘s your parents decision), and you definitely don‘t pick your teammates. Some teams have a franchise player that gets most of the attention (i.e. Jordan), while others are stacked more evenly (Lakers in the ‘80s). Whether it’s a championship season, or a losing one, your team is your team period. They’re your foundation, and your support. It’s important to honor and be loyal to our family, even when they don’t reciprocate. That’s what makes family family, and keeps us from turning our back on them they way we might someone who doesn’t share our namesake. It’s the reason parents feed, change and clothe us when we’re young, and if/when the roles are reversed when we get older, it’s the reason we accept those responsibilities. Some people may argue that their family is broken and dysfunctional, and that very well may be the case. But whatever your issues are (barring abuse or neglect of any kind), you are blessed to have a family to have issues with. Don’t believe me? Ask an orphan.

In the words of Whoodini, "FRIENDS, How many of us have them? FRIENDS, Ones you can depend on?" Friends are special people, thorough even. There are different levels of friendship, as we hold our friends in different capacities ( I tend not to tell my friends at work some of the things I talk about with my friends at home). But real, true friends have a common interest, and that’s each other’s best interest. Our closest friends are a source of support for us, and we may confide things in them that we’re too afraid to tell our mother or father. In fact for some of us, our closest friends have become our family. That’s the thing about true friends; they’re not obligated quite the way family is, so our truest friends have the purest hearts.

Everyone else can be considered an acquaintance, or associate. We can’t have the same expectations for them that we do for friends or family, because they don’t serve those purposes in our lives. Think about how many people you see at work each day. How many of them do you say hi to? Of them, how many would you trust with your wallet? That number dropped quick huh? It doesn’t mean that most people we meet are out to get us, it just means that we don’t put very much stake in each other. Having said that, some people are out to get us, and that’s why we have to be careful. Some of the folks we come into regular contact with put the ass in associates. They might pretend to be friends, but would spit on you before they wished you well.  They'll help you soak up the sun, but won't help you rebuild your roof when it rains. They are not friends, they are snakes in the grass. (That’s why it’s important to keep a lawn mower.)  When you bump into these folks, smile and don't trust them with your wallet.

This is my perspective on people, formed from my own life experience. This is how I remember who’s who. I want to appreciate those closest to me, and take the time to build and strengthen those relationships. I think it’s important to be kind and good to all people, but I recognize our instinct to elevate certain people in our lives above others. We have to appreciate our families, and where broken, repair them. We should cherish our friends, especially our closest ones, for they’ll be there even when family disappoints us. With everyone else we should remember to be patient and compassionate even if we keep them at arm’s distance.