I think in the past couple of years I realized what I bad friend I can be. I feel like I’m trying to make up for it a bit now. I’m still an extremely selfish person, and I’m constantly finding out that I’m selfish in ways that I never thought I was. It just keeps coming to my attention that I’m very focused on my own life and my own interests that I often forget my friends spouses do for a living, or what they are interested in or when their birthdays are or what degree they are getting etc. I don’t know why I’m like this. Even my blog posts are very egocentric, I talk about my feelings or what I’m doing, but I don’t often talk about my friends or even my wife.
I also recently realized that there are a lot of things that I have done or said that I have no memory of doing. It makes me worried that maybe they were so horrible that I blocked them out of my mind, or that I maybe in my mind I think events happened one way and over the years I’ve convinced myself that that is what happened, even if my version is slightly altered from reality. I don’t have any specifics really, it’s just distressing that my mind could trick me like that. Also, it’s irritating.
The point is though, that I’m trying to get better at being in contact with the people I love and want to spend time with. I think after my great grandpa (Andrew #1) passed away earlier this year I started to realize how important friends and family are to me. When he got sick and I started spending more time with him he taught me how much family & friends mean to him and how no matter what that it’s important to keep them close….I’m just rambling. This is just really an apology to any of my friends that I’ve been kind of crappy to. Also, hi.
sorry, no pictures for this post or for Saturday’s post either. I am lazy. I need to learn how to use a camera I guess to make my posts more interesting
Currently Listening to: Death – For The Whole World To See LP (1975)
I think all of these also apply to me, and I think they are probably attributes of men who are socialized in the United States. So don’t sweat it. Nobody’s expecting much from us anyways.
I love you brother and think that everyone has moments that they regret when it comes to friendship. Also, Ive come to realize, that a lot of time when people are talking or telling a story, the other people are just waiting to say what they want to say about their own story instead of listening complelety to the one talking. I think you are a good brother and its good that you realize the importance of friends and family….speaking of family, lets hang out soon!!! XOXO
Donna is really good at keeping in touch with her really close friends, even friends from junior high school. I am not nearly as good.
I have two suggestions:
1. Send hand-written thank you notes
2. Listen to more .
Grrr. I’m not so good with the HTML.
Suggestion number 2 was supposed to be this:
Listen to more Michael W. Smith.
I think the good thing for me is that I’m such a bad friend too, that I have never really noticed much that you weren’t being such a great friend. Well, not never, but not much over the last 10 years or so. Before that there were a few questionable friendship moments, but all is forgiven.
I think I really need to work on my friendship skills too. I’m glad that we’ll both be working on it. And that we can be better friends to each other. I’d hate to take for granted one of my oldest and closest friends. Love you!
It’s not just a guy thing. Sometimes I think (or maybe know) that I may be the reason why I don’t have any friends. I have NEW friends, but not too many old friends. I don’t think I do well with keeping in touch. BUT I would much rather hang out with my family members (or any schubert) before I hang out with friends. So I don’t know which is better.
I’m exactly the same way, your description of how you feel about yourself is how I feel about myself, too. I’ve been realizing it a lot lately, too, and trying to change things. Keep on keeping on, and it’ll all work out in the end.
Thanks Andrew, for sharing your heart. You made me cry(surprise, surprise). When you share like that no photos are needed.
I know what you mean about your grandfather. Losing my dad, two brothers and others has driven home the fact that life is much too short and unpredictable. When all is said and done, the only thing that really lasts are our relationships and our faith. I probably make choices much differently in the last few years because of that change in priorities. My house isn’t as clean, my “to do” list isn’t as long or at least there are longer deadlines for them, my financial goals are not as high. All because those things can take me away from the precious family and friends that I love so dearly.
Thanks for being such an awesome husband to Amy, son-in-law, brother, son, employee and even friend. We are so blessed and thankful to have you in our lives.