I was riding in public bus this morning and I began to reflect back to what one of my close friends asked me a few years ago when we were at a convention.
We were taking a lunch break in between some seriously dynamic speakers and I made a comment that; even though my first business venture did not go as planned that I was going to come back in a serious way and the world would be force to watch me do my thing in a global successful sense.
One of my best friends, at the time, turned and looked at me and said, "Well don't forget about me baby when you conquer the world" to which I replied, "you know I got you covered and you will be right there with me bro".
Fast forward 6-7 years and you will find him and me no longer even talking to one another let alone being the best of friends. I often ask myself what did I do wrong or what could I have done differently, but I kept coming up with the same consistent answer...nothing!
My default position was what a famous radio personality said at the close of his show one day," Everybody that comes with you can't go with you..." He went on to explain that because he had increased his own vision for himself, from the days of hanging out on the street corner, that some of those same individuals, who were still on the street corner, had a problem with him when he would come back home to visit his family.
They were actually surprised that he would not take them up on their invitation to hang with them in the same capacity as he did before.
He thought to himself, that there was no way he could just stand there doing nothing for hours on end talking about what could be anymore, knowing that he had already turn his dreams into a reality. He was equally surprised when they looked perplex at his decline to their invitation. This quick excerpt helps me to stay the course and to not grow too weary when I start growing in areas of my life and those around me become uncomfortable with that growth and choose to remove themselves from my life.
I have to keep in mind that everyone around me is not growing at my same rate or they may be choosing to stay right where they are in their development and it is alright for me to go on ahead to meet my goals, dreams, and desires.
I tried to keep this friendship going on several occasions, but when it is truly time for a caterpillar to mature; the cocoon must come off, the new wings must be utilized, and by a new name/design called a butterfly I must become...
I have learned that this shedding of an old friend typically brings about a new friend who is just where you are in your new stage of growth and development, so don't sweat the small stuff even though this parting can be a sad and hurtful affair.
Just know that if you are indeed changing for the better then a good indicator of that is the new growth on your branches of progress.
Some friends are indeed just for a season and some will remain for a lifetime and either way it's all good.
We were taking a lunch break in between some seriously dynamic speakers and I made a comment that; even though my first business venture did not go as planned that I was going to come back in a serious way and the world would be force to watch me do my thing in a global successful sense.
One of my best friends, at the time, turned and looked at me and said, "Well don't forget about me baby when you conquer the world" to which I replied, "you know I got you covered and you will be right there with me bro".
Fast forward 6-7 years and you will find him and me no longer even talking to one another let alone being the best of friends. I often ask myself what did I do wrong or what could I have done differently, but I kept coming up with the same consistent answer...nothing!
My default position was what a famous radio personality said at the close of his show one day," Everybody that comes with you can't go with you..." He went on to explain that because he had increased his own vision for himself, from the days of hanging out on the street corner, that some of those same individuals, who were still on the street corner, had a problem with him when he would come back home to visit his family.
They were actually surprised that he would not take them up on their invitation to hang with them in the same capacity as he did before.
He thought to himself, that there was no way he could just stand there doing nothing for hours on end talking about what could be anymore, knowing that he had already turn his dreams into a reality. He was equally surprised when they looked perplex at his decline to their invitation. This quick excerpt helps me to stay the course and to not grow too weary when I start growing in areas of my life and those around me become uncomfortable with that growth and choose to remove themselves from my life.
I have to keep in mind that everyone around me is not growing at my same rate or they may be choosing to stay right where they are in their development and it is alright for me to go on ahead to meet my goals, dreams, and desires.
I tried to keep this friendship going on several occasions, but when it is truly time for a caterpillar to mature; the cocoon must come off, the new wings must be utilized, and by a new name/design called a butterfly I must become...
I have learned that this shedding of an old friend typically brings about a new friend who is just where you are in your new stage of growth and development, so don't sweat the small stuff even though this parting can be a sad and hurtful affair.
Just know that if you are indeed changing for the better then a good indicator of that is the new growth on your branches of progress.
Some friends are indeed just for a season and some will remain for a lifetime and either way it's all good.
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