[JustLovelyJenn]

What is on my mind today is why people become the kinds of friends they are in my life. I have those friends that are so close, they can be counted on for anything, at any time. They don't need to talk to me all the time but I know I can count on them for anything if its needed, whether that is company for a coffee date, last minute babysitting, a much needed extra $20 to fill in a gap, or simply a listening ear and a shoulder to cry on. I also know I would do the same for them. These friends really do BECOME family to me. But other friends who I have had and kept over the years did not become that for one reason or another.

Recently I am realizing that much of this is because they do not reflect the qualities I hold closest in my heart. I look for many things in my tightest circle, and the lack of one of those qualities inevitably leads to a much more distant friendship. As I have thought about that this past week or so I have started to think about what those qualities are. I really do look for qualities like generosity, understanding, open-mindedness, honesty, and good communication skills. I have always valued these qualities.

What I am realizing is included in these that I did not see before is thriftiness and economy of life. Not that they have very little, or that they want very little, but that they can make so much FROM very little. I do not have to have the best and most expensive of things to have a happy and full life. I personally have a house full of things that make me very happy. But I spend my money wisely and I meet both my needs and my desires without overextending myself. I choose to make a picnic, instead of eat out. I choose to go to the beach instead of a theme park. I choose to buy a used couch or car, instead of spending more on a new one. I have made a lot of choices to put my family ahead of money. I choose to live on less and to have more.

I guess today I am thinking about how important this quality is to me... and how some people still don't get it.