The Untamed Path: Wild Turkeys, Old Friends, and Redefining Success
What if success isn't just about the climb, but also about the unexpected detours? The fleeting moments that grab your attention, the friendships that defy time, and the quiet wisdom found in simply being. This morning, a lone turkey sauntered across my path. No flock, no fanfare, just a solitary bird in a world of 8 billion people. A few moments later, a blue heron soared overhead. Most might dismiss these as mere coincidences, but what if they're something more? What if they're whispers from the untamed, urging us to pause, observe, and ask different questions?
The Unwritten Chapters of Friendship
Just moments ago, I wrapped up a marathon conversation with Tommy, one of my oldest friends. He meticulously recounted every romantic escapade he had until we met 16 years ago. It was wild to uncover these previously unwritten chapters, pieces of his past that undeniably shaped the man he is today.
We all have these narratives, don't we? The ones that define us, sometimes in ways we're not even fully aware of. We can either learn from our past experiences – especially the tricky ones in love – or we can keep repeating the same patterns, hoping for a different outcome. As the saying goes, to get new results, you have to take different actions. But here's the kicker: sometimes, the most profound action is simply listening. Not to fix, not to advise, but to truly hold space. Tommy laid bare his vulnerabilities, his triumphs, his heartbreaks. And though I'd heard snippets over the years, I wasn't about to interrupt his flow. I was present. I listened.
The Unconditional Support of a True Connection
Isn't this the essence of true friendship? To be there for someone, not to mold them into who you want them to be, but to love and support them for who they are. Do I want Tommy to get back with his ex? If that's his choice, I'll back him. Does he deserve the anxiety of wondering if today's the day she'll leave? Of course not. But if that relationship fills his heart with more love, then I'll support his decision.
He's been a rock through my toughest times, and I've been there for him. We've weathered countless storms. Almost half my life, this man has been a constant. We forged our bond before I got sober. He's one of the last people who saw me use drugs recreationally. He still holds the memory of me puking all over his Corvette after a night of too much revelry over my head. The next day having to brace myself through a scorching Phoenix day as a standard bearer at a women’s junior golf tournament. The joys of being 21.
Those stories bring a smile to my face. We were just kids – me 21, him 27. We've lived so much life since then. He's held the same job since he was 16, only recently stepping away. I've launched more businesses than most people own shoes. I've traveled to more countries than he's owned cars.
The Unspoken Language of Friendly Competition
It's amazing how opposites attract, and yet, how much we are alike in core values. We've changed, and we've stayed the same. The beauty of growing older with someone. We no longer play ping pong as if our lives depend on it, betting a dollar a game and meticulously tracking wins on his garage door. That was our escape, a haven from the pressures of living with my mom, being 21, a college dropout, and early in recovery. Life is precious. And long-term friendships? Even more so. My travels have made it harder to maintain those in-person connections, which only makes me value them more deeply when they happen. We often don't realize how much we miss something until it's gone.
There will come a day when Tommy and I are no longer friends – whether by circumstance or something far more permanent. Will I have told him I love him enough? Will we have enough adventures under our belts? Will we ever definitively settle the "who's the better ping pong player" debate? (Though I did stop when I was ahead last time, so maybe that's settled for now!) Will I finally become a better golfer than him?
Some questions may never be answered, and I'm okay with that. That's part of friendship, isn't it? That friendly competition, the push to be better, to know who can pull off a win even when you've given up. I've learned so much from Tommy. He's always been a good friend, a master of making money, and he inspired our now 100-plus-day streak of 100 push-ups a day. When I commit, it's hard to make me stop. So, here's to many more decades of friendship with the people who inspire you, challenge you, and simply see you.
What unexpected observations or conversations have shifted your perspective lately? Share your thoughts via email!
Connect.... Gordon GordonBufton@Proton.me @GordonBufton33