Relationships the Best Financial Investment

“A true friend is the best possession.” – Benjamin Franklin

I write often on the benefits of being a Frugal Prosumer. One of the greatest rewards of being a Frugal Prosumer is that it enables us to have time and resources to focus more of our energies (and finances) on the things that are most important to us. These values will change from person to person, but for Mary and I, they have been typically defined as faith, family, and friends. Being Frugal Prosumers means we have had more time, money, and energy to pursue each of them.

One of the reasons that relationships makes our top list of values is because we have seen how much benefit they provide. The opportunities they provide to make life better far outweigh anything that can be found in material possessions. As a result, they ought to be pursued with far greater fervor than financial investments and material things.

My best friend for 38 years.

Here are some ways friends make our lives better.

1. Encourage us. Friends believe in us and offer both the words and the support we need to become better people in all aspects of life.
2. Help us in time of need.  With meals, gifts, and understanding.
3. Challenge us. Friends recognize deficiencies in our life. They challenge us to embrace and succeed in making these healthy, life-giving changes.
4. Motivate us. Knowing that someone loves you, believes in you, and is cheering for you is highly motivating.
5. Listen to us. A listening ear communicates value, trust, and openness and provides the opportunity for our thoughts to disentangle themselves.
6. Add joy to our lives. One of the most enjoyable things of our life is sitting around the dinner table laughing and having a great time with friends.
   
7. Celebrate with us. Joy without someone to share it with is hollow. That’s why we immediately call our friends when something good happens. Friends celebrate with us in victory and make our joy complete.
8. Grieve with us. Life is full of ups and downs. Friends make the high points higher and the low points bearable.
9. Support our contributions. Friends recognize the value we contribute to the world and the beauty we offer to it. They look forward to our contributions and promote them to others.
10. Keep us honest. Friends know us best. They know our strengths… and they recognize our weaknesses. Because of their intimate knowledge of who we are, they keep us honest with each other and with ourselves.