Friends Who Watch Our Backs

Surround yourself with people who fight for you in rooms you're not in.

by Skip Cohen

It's Sunday, my day to simply run amok miles away from writing about business and marketing. As I've shared in the past, there are therapeutic qualities to hitting a topic other than what I write about all week long. 

Sitting down at my computer this morning, I wanted to write about friendships. It's not a new topic, but this past week, I had some very special conversations with a few different friends, both old and new. Then, as I was wandering through Facebook, the quote above by a new friend, Brittany Jennings, came up. And there it was, the foundation for two things I wanted to write about—great friends and Facebook.

Starting with Facebook, while everyone I know has a love/hate relationship with "Team Zuckerberg," it's hard to deny that FB is sometimes the mortar that keeps all the bricks together. It's become my best way to stay in touch with old friends and new ones. From birthdays to everyone's safety and everything in between, I'm able to keep in touch with people I've known my entire life. FB makes the world a tiny place. 

While Facebook is a key tool for staying connected, it's the foundation of friendship that makes the investment in being in touch so beneficial. I've written a lot about the photographic industry and how we all watch each other's backs. While the industry can sometimes be like a dysfunctional family on Shameless, everyone's hearts are in the right place.

Everyone wants to ride with you in the limo,
but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down.
Oprah Winfrey

It's hard to write about great friends and not get sappy, but it's thanks to some special people whose inspiration and guidance help keep me focused. At a time when most people my age have retired, I still wake up with the enthusiasm of a kid on his first day on a new job. It's those special people who have helped me redefine success and purpose. The fun of it all is that while we often lose touch, the connection never goes away, and neither do the laughs and the stories when we cross paths next.

Here's my point—we all have days when we feel alone, dealing with whatever challenges life throws our way. But it's our friends who help us navigate through the tough stuff as well as celebrate our accomplishments. And the best thing about still being active in photography, my new role in the fight against Alzheimer's, and social media is all about friendships—old, new, and yet to evolve. 

Wishing everybody a weekend with time for family and friends. Just for the fun of it, think about one old friend and one new one - then think about how they came into your life. I'm betting there will be some great backstories that put a smile on your face that lasts all day long.

We've got a sign on a wall here at home of photographs of friends over the years:

Angels exist, but sometimes they don't have wings and are called friends.

Happy Sunday, or Monday if you're on the other side of the world.

PS And to Brittany - thanks for sharing that quote!