Anatomy Of A Foreclosure

I have really been struck by the amount of moral support provided by friends... both far and near.

This has really helped to assure me that being open, honest, and straightforward about this was the right thing to do. Since we started talking about this, people have come out of the woodwork to provide some sort of reassurance. So-and-so's cousin went through this, and this other person too, and we're praying for you, thinking about you, supporting you.

One of my clients is also my best friend. I honestly was dreading telling him... He's a finance guy, and very good with money. There was a bit of intimidation factor. But more than those things, he's the kind of friend that everyone should have at least one of.

I think we're all familiar with the fact that there are a number of different kinds of friendships. There's the acquaintances, which we should all have proportionally a fair amount of. These are the people that you discuss sports, cars, movies, some proud mention of your kid's achievements, that sort of thing. Nothing horribly deep, just warm conversation. Then there's the friends... which we all will probably have only a handful of in our lifetime, if we are lucky. Frankly, it would be emotionally exhausting to have more than a handful of them, I think. It's not because they drain you, it's because true friendships are much deeper than acquaintances. It's all the stuff you talk about with acquaintences, plus the trials that life throws at you, and the stuff that annoys you, and the areas of your life where you are weak. It's vulnerability, and implies a lot of trust. This is what differentiates acquaintences from friends.

My friend is firmly in the latter category, and today he proved again why. I forwarded an email that we had sent out to family explaining the situation. We then spent a long lunch discussing it, thinking about options... and getting some valuable insight from him - since he's a finance buff, it was really helpful to hear him think some of this stuff out loud. It was done with concern, but without judgement, and it was greatly appreciated. One of his signature phrases is "Is there *anything* I can do to help?" Believe me, it's sincere.

So if you find yourself in this situation, or one like it, don't forget your friends. It's amazing how supportive, helpful, and caring people can be when they are given the opportunity... don't shirk your responsibility to give them that opportunity. It's scary, but the reward shocks you in its generosity.

-=C=-