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My Journey with the Unexpected


 It is one of those crazy weeks. I am commuting like crazy going from place to place, at the same time trying to get ready for our workshop coming up this Saturday. Picture this. I have five presentations for the Black History Month this week (two of them happening outside of the city), my church is starting an outreach program in partnership with a refugee shelter, and I am doing a leadership training on Sunday (after a whole day seminar on Saturday). On top of that, I have to respond to my boss (do you remember that one?). Crazy week indeed. Thank God one of my presentations was rescheduled for March. I really don’t know how I would have pulled that off.

You know what? I am not complaining at all. Being busy does help me get my mind off stuff that are not going well. I think each one of us has at least one of those. 

The one thing I love about being busy is the unexpected. Yesterday, I had a meeting scheduled with Paul, my friend and business partner. We had it booked for 3 hours. I got there late (it does not happen a lot). Instead of starting our meeting, Paul gave me a carrot cake (I am still working on my relationship with food). It was an offer I couldn't refuse. Two hours later, we were still talking about…life. The workshop stuff had to wait. What about our three hour meeting? It ended up being just a half an hour meeting. The rest of the time was about talking about what matters to us.

I like those kinds of conversations. I have known Paul for almost twelve years now. He is the kind of guy I can talk to in regards to what’s really going on in my life, without the fear of being judged. I can really open up to him. That is what happened yesterday. He listened to me venting for almost an hour without saying a word. Then, he gave me his honest feedback while I am eating the carrot cake (I can multitask when it comes to food). It was a great feedback and I felt really good after that.

I have learned to cherish true friends. Those who stick with you through stick and thin, those who are not shy to speak to you with honesty, those on whom you can rely. I don’t know about you, I do not have many of those. It is a rare commodity.

If you have one or two of those people, please don’t take them for granted. They are gold.   
   
Moral of the story? Do you want to have a true friend? Just meet them and you will eat a carrot cake.                                   

Always a pleasure
Patrick
The Journeyman
www.unleashedpossibilities.net



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