Contrary to popular belief, I think a person could actually be an island. There are times when I even attempt to do so. My island though is surrounded by drawbridges so I can let people on and off as necessary. Sometimes I am truly and island and other times my life looks more like a bicycle wheel with spokes going off in every direction. While I do belief that a person can be an island, I also believe that the people surrounding you are what make life fun. And complicated and messy and troublesome, but more often than not . . .fun.
It turns out life really is all about who you know. And not just for getting a new job. I’ve had the opportunity to do some uncommon things in life based on the people I know. Sometimes it’s someone I know directly or sometimes it’s through a friend of a friend. One of the best things about knowing people – the potential to do things you wouldn’t normally have the opportunity to do. I’ve gone to countless games for free because someone was looking to offload tickets. A few weeks ago I managed to score tickets so close to the floor that it was inconvenient to look at the big screen. I’ve also been able to get into places the general public cannot, like the NIKE employee store, because I knew someone who knew a guy.
Sometimes knowing people is as simple as knowing which dish to stay away from at a potluck event. My mom brought home a plate of cookies from one of her students at Christmas time. When she offered them to us, my brother and I just stared at her until she confirmed that they were in fact from a good family. Sometimes it’s important to know which old lady likes to kiss instead of hug at the end of a church service. Or which weird distant relative to stay away from at the family reunion.
Another great thing about knowing people is the potential for travel. You can travel anytime anywhere, but it’s always been more interesting for me (and slightly less stressful) to do it with a local. I had a friend move to South Africa and sooner rather than later, I found myself chasing lions through the night in an open jeep while on safari in Africa. I’ve also found myself in Oklahoma, Alaska, Hawaii, New Zealand and other random places by visiting people.
Perhaps my most favorite however is the unexpected invitation. I have a friend who is away at graduate school for a couple years. Oddly enough, one of the things I miss most about him being gone is hanging out with his parents. So imagine my surprise when I received an invitation from his mom asking me if I’d like to attend a Blazer season ticket holder event. Where you get to hang out with the players. How great is that?
So as much as I enjoy my time as an island, the game of life is really all about who you know. Turns out there are some pretty amazing people out there and while the good ones are in my life for reasons other than the potential benefits I get, I’m not about to turn down an opportunity to meet the Blazers.
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