“Good friends are like stars. You don’t always see them, but you know they’re always there.” ~ Unknown
This week, I found myself thinking a lot about the people who’ve shaped my life, especially the ones I don’t talk to often but still hold close. It reminded me how important it is to pause and practice gratitude for good friends, especially the ones who were with us in the early chapters of our careers and lives.
Here’s what happened.
Scott and I were driving down to Kentucky for a speaking engagement, and somewhere along I-75, as we approached that famous Florence Y’all water tower, I thought about my old boss, Dale. He was the person I reported to back in my welding industry days: a steady, good man who believed in me long before speaking, gratitude, or retention strategies were part of my life.
Whenever I pass the Union, Kentucky sign, I think of him.
So I called.
It went to voicemail. No big deal. Busy life. Lots going on.
But yesterday, on my way to another event, which was about an hour drive, I tried him again. This time, it didn’t go to his voice. It went to the generic “You have reached…” greeting. And you know how your stomach drops just a little when something feels off? That’s where I was.
I called two more times throughout the day. Still nothing.
At this point, my gratitude for good friends was wrestling with a new feeling – concern. The quiet, unwelcome kind that lingers in your chest.
I scrolled through my contacts and found an old coworker, Rich, someone I’ve kept in touch with because we share the same birthday. I asked if he had heard from Dale.
“No,” he said, “but Jack usually calls me when somebody dies.”
Not exactly the reassurance I was hoping for.
Rich gave me Jack’s number. I called him. And even he hadn’t heard from Dale. Now my concern had fully matured into worry.
A few hours later, my phone rang.
It was Dale.
His phone just doesn’t ring anymore, and he finally saw all my missed calls. We talked. We laughed. We caught up. And before we hung up, I got his home number, just in case.
I can’t tell you the relief I felt. But even stronger than the relief was the gratitude; deep gratitude for good friends, mentors, and people from our past who still hold a place in our story even when time and distance have stretched the space between us.
Why Gratitude for Good Friends Matters
It’s easy to assume people know we care.
It’s easy to assume we’ll get around to calling later.
It’s easy to assume there will always be more time.
But life doesn’t run on assumptions.
Friendships, especially the long-term ones, anchor us. They remind us who we were, who we are, and how far we’ve come. These are the people who saw us before we were “established,” before we had titles or accomplishments or direction. They saw potential, possibility, and humanity.
That deserves acknowledgment.
That deserves gratitude.
And sometimes, all it takes is one phone call to bring someone back into your life in the best possible way.
A Nudge for You
So maybe this is your nudge today, the kind that came for me while driving past a water tower:
Call that person you’ve been meaning to reach out to.
The mentor.
The friend.
The former coworker who made the hard seasons lighter.
Not for a reason.
Not for business.
Just to say hi.
You’ll both be glad you did.
What are you grateful for this week? If you’d like to see how a Grategy – Gratitude Strategy – can help, watch this.
