It is a small world after all...

Good people surround themselves with other good people. Its a natural occurrence. Why else would you surround yourself with people who my negatively influence you to go down a wrong path. Good people have goals in mine, they have purpose, drive, focus. Disclaimer: There are people out there that are good in nature, that don't realize their goals, purpose, drive, or other admirable characteristics quite yet. If you're one of those, you're not bad people, just good but lost for the time being. Generally speaking though, this occurrence happens more often than not. We (yes, we, I include myself because I believe myself to be a good person surrounded by perhaps better people) keep each other accountable, whether directly or indirectly. By our mere presence, we keep others motivated and accountable through our actions, words, and emotions.

I am fortunate to be surround by great people. People that are motivated, driven, intelligent, and hard workers. Their actions influence me more than they realize. I evolve to become a better person everyday through these influences by such people. They are where they are at this moment because they chose to be, they had the desire, the will, to get themselves there and to make something of themselves. Life is not worth living if you are stagnant and unhappy. We are programed to obtain the ultimate emotion, happiness. Whether happiness is found in money, collecting material items, or doing what you love. Happiness is the end game. It is the absolute big picture.

We are taught that love and happiness go hand in hand. Everyone in their lifetimes should and will experience such emotions. If you experience love, most likely happiness will ensue. Unfortunately, vice versa doesn't necessarily work out. Don't get me wrong, if you experience happiness, love is without a doubt possible, maybe not consequently obvious like love resulting with happiness.

I write this because its most simple to relate ones life with an observation, which in reality just provides a better understanding.

I digress.

I recently got to spend time with two of my favorite people whom I have a long-standing friendship with. A friend of mine told me that her new years resolution was to create/form meaningful relationships with people. No longer acquaintances but actual friendships where one can rely on the other and have intellectual conversations with. Two of my favorite people are just that.

I met Ms. Artistic in undergrad at UC Irvine. Without going into detail, this period of time for her ended up becoming a very dark time and unfortunate. However, in my eyes, contrarily, it was a lifting time for me. Although I doubt I have actually ever told her this, but she was really the sole reason I survived my first year there and continued school. I had struggled with academics and swimming for the school, I questioned whether or not this was where I was suppose to be and what I was suppose to be doing. I was considering joining Peter Pan's gang of lost boys. She was my rock. Her support and uncanny ability to cheer me up and get my mind off anything and everything I struggled with was beyond me. She doesn't let me live down the time she scared me out of my shoes when she popped out of the refrigerator. I will admit during that time I had romantic intentions, probably from our ability to create that meaningful friendship from the start and the mutual support through our troubling times and adversity. Now she lives hours away but the dynamic and history in our friendship provide such that our conversations start back up right where we had once left it before. Without a hitch, a hesitation, an awkwardness, we are back to where we were. Chatting about anything and everything. It is undeniably easy to talk to Ms. Artistic. She is admirable and quite the creative cat. I can listen to her sing and play the guitar anytime anywhere. Ms. Artistic is a great person, a pleasure to be around, and I'm glad she is still apart of my life.

I met Ms. Writing Jeep a few years back while working at the Alternate Defender's office. Although we did not meet directly at first, but through our work at the desk we both occupied on different days, we quickly hit it off and established quite the friendship. We obviously shared the same interest, as she was upon the tail end of her JD degree and I was looking to begin mine. Beyond the generic greetings on our first face to face encounter, we shared many hours in the court room observing our favorite attorneys and attending lunches, discussing what I was to expect in law school and what I need to do or look out for. More or less it was like I was being mentored by Ms. Writing Jeep. Beyond law, we also shared a deeply rooted passion of writing and Dexter. I guess you can suggest that Dexter is a really well written show, thus reverting to just that both of us love writing and appreciate good writing as well. Our shared commonalities fueled the friendship to become all the more meaningful as we both enjoy each other company. Even though we hardly see each other or talk much really, I can always count on Ms. Writing Jeep to come through when called upon. Thank you for your words of wisdom, your guidance, and support.

There are a number of others who deserve the same praise in my life. I just felt under these circumstances, the fact I was able to see both over this last week after a long absence from either. My display of appreciation was necessary and warranted.

Ms. Artistic and Ms. Writing Jeep are just prime examples of how I am fortunate to surround myself with good people, who continually influence my mind, my character, and my being.