Today is the birthday of one of my closest friends. Like Pamela, she's like a sister from another mother, and the three of us have been like Musketeers since the early nineties.
Spent the afternoon with this friend yesterday, both to celebrate her birthday and for me to reassure myself about her state. You see, my friend has cancer. We don't know to what extent yet. The surgery to find out is tomorrow. My chat with my friend reminded me of several life lessons, which I want to share here:
1. Make sure that you have savings and invest enough money for your retirement. You probably think retirement is very far off and but the earlier you start, the more you set aside, the more you peaceful you will be when you're in middle age and retirement looms. And havings savings means being able to deal with little and big disasters life throws at you without the additional financial stress.
2. Good friends who support you are more valuable than money. Not that money is not important ( see point 1), but you really need people who's support you can count on no questions asked. We have been there for each othe through financial disasters, bad relationships, break-ups, divorce, unemployment... you name it. And they have provided another layer of security for me: it's a good feeling to know that you have friends who will always be there, who've seen you at your very worst and love you because of it, not in spite of it.
As for work, it's going steadily. Sleep is a valuable commodity I'd love to have. But December and January are go-slow months in South Africa ( across industries, as people take off for Christmas/summer holidays), so it's good that I have enough work to keep me busy now and hopefully through the season.
5 comments:
I appreciate your post. All points are true. Take good care of your friend. I have been there for two with cancer when I was in my twenties. It is never an easy thing, but with a good friend by her side...that is the most important thing. I pray for good news, and quick recovery.
Thank you Yvette for visiting and your good wishes.
Best wishes to your friend.
Prayers for your friend. She is blessed having you in her life.
As one of the Three Musketeers I am grateful for all the support I've received from you, D, and our friend and I've been praying more than usual the past few weeks. But I am convinced our guardian angels have been watching over the years and are still on duty for all of us.
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