If you had to list all your assets, all those things you valued, what do you think you¹d put at the top of the list? Your car? Your house? Your family? Your job? Maybe it¹s something else, like a ring, or even something abstract, like your ideals, or your dreams.
Assets are a big thing in our society, where so much is structured around the idea of ownership. Some people might have no trouble listing their most valuable asset, they just flip open their list of receipts, and look for the one with the most zeros on it. Others take their time, thinking about everything they have, and how much they feel it¹s worth, factoring in sentimental as well as economic value.
Listing your assets shows a lot about you‹it is perhaps the clearest demonstration of your values. Think about it‹by listing your assets, you¹ve stated what things are important to you, and how important those things are. And, since our values are different, just like we¹re all different as people, chances are, you¹ll never find anyone who ranks things in the same order as you do. Even the items will be different, since you might value something to a great degree, while someone else might not think it to be worth anything.
Another thing that listing your assets can show is what you feel to be an asset‹what your working definition of what an asset is. Some people may feel that abstract items, those intangible things that some value, can not be counted as assets.
I disagree.
I think a good reputation is one of the most valuable assets someone can have. Things tend to be easier in dealing with people if they feel that they can trust you, and that you¹re a good person. Now, if you feel that intangible items cannot be considered as assets for one reason or another, that¹s fine, but remember that if you ever compare your list with someone else¹s, he/she may have them, and might be surprised that you don¹t.
I suppose by now you either are convinced that: I¹ve made some points, or you¹re waiting for me to answer a certain question, or I¹ve accomplished absolutely nothing by this point and I¹m not going to, and you want to see if the next chapter¹s any better. Perhaps it¹s a combination of two or more of those‹I don¹t really know, and I doubt I ever will. I told you once before that you can skip any chapter you like. After all, I¹ll never know unless you tell me, so, unless you plan to purposely skip a chapter, and then contact me and inform me of your actions, I¹ll never find out.
For those of you that think I¹ve made some points, or at least one point by this time, you may be right. Of course, that doesn¹t mean I¹m done. I still have one question to answer for those people that have the question in mind that I think they do. Well, I¹ll get to that now.
Let¹s see. I think the question you might have here is what I would list as my most valuable asset, especially after I just asked you to think about and evaluate yours. Well, I don¹t even need to think to answer that question. What I consider my most valuable asset, the thing I¹m most fortunate to have is:
My friends. With them, I am everything. Without them, I¹m nothing. They are easily, without question, the thing that matters most to me in this world. I could give up every material possession I have in this world, as long as I could always have my friends.
Now, there is some distinction to be made here. By using the term friends, I do not mean that to mean every acquaintance that I am on good terms with. No, this definition of friends is significantly more specialized. I¹m referring to the ones that are my true friends, the ones that are there no matter what‹those friends that have stood by me through everything, good and bad.
My definition of a friend? Well, let me put it like this:
A friend is someone that cheers for you when you¹re up, and is there to pick you up when you¹re down. He/she holds your hand when you¹re lonely, or afraid, or in such indescribable physical or emotional pain that every cell within you is screaming. He/she puts his arms around you when you need support, and always has a shoulder to cry on. A friend is the one person that will defend you from slander, and stand by you through all the pain and rumors and isolationism the world gives you sometimes.
That¹s what a friend is.
Friends like that are not easy to find. Some people might have never had a friend like that. I¹ve been lucky to find that caring, that devotion. We all need that in our lives. And for those of you that haven¹t found it yet, I wish you the best of luck, and hope it comes your way soon. It¹s truly something powerful; a force that can transcend time and space and any distance that you put between it. In a friend, you find everything in this world worth having, and more.
For starters, I think it¹s really important for you to be friends with the person you¹re in love with. Love is friendship in an enhanced, singular form.
Friends can also relatives. I¹ve known people whom have told me that their best friend was a parent, or an uncle, or a cousin. Family can be friends. I know, some of my best friends are my relatives.
I would do anything for my friends. They know that, or at least I hope they do. They have been my lighthouse on a rocky coastline, and my brightly-colored banner on a sunny day.
To all my friends out there‹I love you very much, and I thank you for everything. Most importantly, I thank you for me, because without you, I wouldn¹t be anything.
Thanks again.