Rule To Live By: 1 Great Friend Is Good Enough
You ever feel unpopular when you see a celebrity birthday party and they’re celebrating with 500 of their closest friends? Do you ever ask yourself, “Where are my 500 friends or my 50 friends or my 5 friends?” In American society, we are socialized into thinking that more is better–more money, more stuff, more clothes, more cars, more friends, more, more, more.
We’re never taught to celebrate the 1 good thing you have–the one great car, the one great designer bag, the one really nice apartment, or the one great friend. One is never enough in our society.
For the past 17 months, I feel like I’ve gone through hell and back on so many levels–parental, familial, marital, financial, professional, creative–you name it, I’ve experienced some ridiculous drama in that area over the past year and a half. Whenever one drama ends, drama part 2, part 3, part 45, starts coming through the door. Sometimes I gotta shake my head cause I’m like, “Come on, now. Even I need a break!” But the drama keeps on coming.
This week I was experiencing a period of fog and one of my best friends called me out. He said, “Yas, you never put up with that kind of stuff with anyone before.” I won’t go into all the details of what we discussed but he reminded me of who I was and who I am. I had been in such a fog that I had begun to forget my own essence.
Though it was temporary insanity, I don’t know what I would have done if I didn’t have that 1 friend who could be real with me and tell me what I needed to hear. His conversation was stronger than smelling salts and it woke me up.
After that faithful conversation, I thought about all the friends that I’ve had in my life–the ones that I’ve gained and the ones that I’ve lost–and I was so thankful for this 1 friend who kept it real with me. I was so thankful for this 1 friend who wasn’t intimidated by my brand or my recognition to tell me that I had gone WAY OFF course.
I was so thankful for this 1 friend who didn’t care about my degrees, or books or lectures and told me what I needed to know so that I could help myself.
It would be great to surround yourself with 50 friends like this, but in the off chance that you just have 1, 1 great friend is good enough.
Tags: Celebrity, friendship, rules to live by, yasmins shiraz
About the Author
Yasmin Shiraz is the President of Still Eye Rise Films, an independent production company which films educational and thought provoking documentaries that chronicle the lives, traumas and experiences of youth. Her first production, Can She Be Saved?, a documentary that examines violence among middle school girls, was an official selection of the 2009 Roxbury Film Festival and recently won a 2009 Indie Award of Merit from IndieFest.
Yasmin Shiraz is the Award winning Author of Retaliation a novel about a community’s response to youth violence. In 2009, it was selected as one of the top Ten Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers by the American Library Association. She is the author of The Blueprint for My Girls: How To Build A Life Full of Courage, Determination & Self Love (Simon and Schuster) and five other books. Her best selling “Blueprint” empowerment series is utilized as a self esteem, motivational, and educational tool at middle and high schools, after school programs, non-profit youth centers, as well as Boys and Girls Clubs throughout the country. 
2 Comments for Rule To Live By: 1 Great Friend Is Good Enough
December 20, 2009 at 4:10 pm
As I read your post, I felt I was reading about myself to a certain degree. I used to feel that a gal could not have too many shoes or too many friends. I have transcended that kind of thinking. The most important thing is that we do not lose ourselves in the drama and chaos.
Thank you so much for your post and being you!
Blessings,
~ Nancy Adler
“Always remember you are JOYfully Unique, LOVED and Empowered to Create the Life of YOUR Dreams.”
December 20, 2009 at 5:14 pm
1 Great Friend:
That’s the pyramid concept. The left corner is conflict, the other side is resolution, and the top of the pyramid is unity. That’s the way life is. You have unity. Then there’s conflict. If that conflict is not resolved you’ll stay in that conflict mode. So you resolve the conflict. After resolving the conflict there’s unity again. My sister won $40,000 in a bowling tournament. She was riding high. I quickly went to her and warned her that conflict was around the corner so prepare. Two weeks later she lost her job due to downsizing. But just like there’s night, day comes in the morning. She got another job. We all go through trials, but rarely discuss them. So the intimacy you share with your viewers is appreciated.