Making Time For Friendships
This past week, I took a day trip to Waco, Texas—not for a conference or networking event, but to watch one of my childhood best friends perform with her choir at Baylor University. Sitting in that auditorium, cheering her on, I was reminded of something we too often forget in the hustle of building careers and chasing goals: the friendships we want to last require us to show up.
It would have been easy to say I was too busy. I had assignments piling up, internship applications to submit, and a million other "priorities" competing for that time. But here's what I'm learning: the moments that feed your soul aren't the ones you squeeze in after everything else is done—they're the ones you deliberately make space for.
The Difference Between Taking and Tending
There's a pattern I've noticed in how people approach friendships. Some people only engage when they need something—advice, a favor, an audience for their wins. They treat relationships like vending machines: insert minimal effort, extract maximum value, move on.
But real friendship doesn't work like that.
The friendships that last—the ones that still feel alive five, ten, twenty years down the road—are the ones where both people show up not because they have to, but because they want to. They're built on moments like driving two hours to watch a choir concert, responding to the random 2 AM text, or simply remembering what matters to the other person.
This Week's Reframe:
Instead of asking "What am I getting from this friendship?" try asking "How can I show up for the people I want to keep in my life?"
Friendship isn't a transaction. It's an investment in someone else's joy, growth, and journey—and when both people approach it that way, it becomes one of the most rewarding parts of life.
That drive to Waco reminded me that success isn't just measured in internships landed or degrees earned. It's also measured in the quality of the connections you maintain and the effort you put into being present for the people who matter.
So this week, I challenge you: reach out to that friend you've been meaning to text. Make plans to see someone you care about. Show up—not because you need something, but because they're worth your time.
Until next week—praying for your success,
James
Who's one friend you want to make more time for? I'd love to hear how you're keeping your important friendships alive!
