Priorities

"The key is not to prioritize what's on your schedule,

but to schedule your priorities" ~Stephen Covey

What's important to me, may not be important to someone else and that's ok... everyone is different. What I find most important are not necessarily the tasks that I have to do at my job, what my home looks like all the time, who I'm impressing, what gadgets I own, or maybe even what I'm wearing. What I have come to discover about myself over the past couple years is that my relationships, whether they be with family or friends, are of the up most importance to me. I realized this early on in college when I had to tell my mother why I was receiving a D in 1 (or 2) of my classes (whoops!). Not only did I realize I had no idea what studying really was, but I came to the conclusion that I was more into making friends and building relationships than what a book had to say. Obviously I had to learn pretty fast how to balance it all out, but never have I passed on hanging out with friends over something some would call "more important"....if I can help it. Starting in high school and continuing on through college, and even still today, I (as well as my group of friends) have lost several friends to tragic accidents. Car wrecks, plane crashes, alcohol, cancer, fire, suicide, stairwells, and horrible acts I'd hate to even mention. These are the things that you never expect to deal with, and pray to God that even your worst enemy would never have to take on. Its all pretty depressing, right? Not really of my norm I write about, but on a day like 9/11 where you're surrounded by news coverage and documentaries on the tragic day 11 years ago...it makes me stop and think. Why doesn't everyone find the relationships in their life the most important?

Perhaps you have been lucky enough to never lose a friend or deal with an unthinkable tragic accident like I have, but at the end of the day all you have is the people around you. To see the network of people impacted by one of these losses I have experienced, makes me think of the thousands of lives lost on 9/11 and who they have touched. It sounds dramatic but we seriously have no idea how much time we or our friends have here. I for one want to soak everyone up as much as I can. Sorry if I ever come across overwhelming.

I try my best to be a great friend to others. You can have a "good friend" but are they really a good friend? Or just someone that is just fun to be around. Would they do you a favor at the drop of a hat, give you good advice, listen to your ups and your downs - or anytime when you need them the most? Are you a priority or something they struggle to prioritize? I am a firm believer in karma, as well as the whole saying 'treat others as you would like to be treated'. If you complain about not having these people then perhaps look closer at yourself. What have you done to be a good friend? Are your relationships a priority in your life? If they aren't, why expect that from others? Again..."The key is not to prioritize what's on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities" ~Stephen Covey. Take a look at the things that are in your life that make you happy. Are they at the top of your list? Sure I hate paying bills, and taking care of life necessities - basically money in general - but after that my relationships and the people in my life are the ones that bring the smile to my face. 99% of the time I take a social setting over anything else. You mean more to me than a television show, an errand I can do tomorrow, and any everyday chore. You, my friend, are at the top of my list.

Don't go diein' on me....