I had dinner a few nights ago with a guy named Dave that I just recently met. I met him at an art show of a mutual friend. He made me see my friends in a completely different light. He started with asking a few questions that together were very, very telling.

First, he asked me, “How many friends do you have on online on your ROOV thing and Facebook and whatever you have?” I told him I have over a thousand and he scoffed. He asked, “How many friends do you have?” I started to think of how many of the 1000+ people I would call a friend. In the middle of my thinking and making that “uhhhhhhhh…” sound we all make, as we enter into that pensive state of pondering, he stopped me. He asked me the exact same thing, but with a tone that let me know he was asking a deeper question than I was answering.

He added how in certain cultures a friend is someone who “reflects truth to you.” In other words, someone that is deeply honest with you for your complete wellness. Someone who knows you…really knows you and has your best interests at heart. He asked me again, “How many friends do you have?” I stopped and thought again. This time he let me think. I abstained from the “uhhhhhhhh…” sound. “Probably 10 to 15″ I said.

Then Dave asked me, “How many people are in the world?”

“6 Billion.” I said.

“So what are the odds of having a friend?”

I paused. I didn’t quite follow him.

“You have 10 friends. There are 6 billion people in the world. What are the odds of having a friend?” he asked again.

I understood. “10 out of 6 billion” I answered.

“Value your friends.” Dave said. Dave is a wise man.

The odds of having a friend–a real friend, a reflector of truth–are less than the likelihood of getting struck by lightning or attacked by a shark. Remember your friends and invest in them. Pick them wisely and value them. I’m going to be doing this a lot more than I have been.

Thanks Dave.

Trey