tommio

when i split up, i didn't know squat about life.
i didn't know how to take care of my own finances
let alone take care of a business!

he was one of the friends who stood by me and was
there thru the whole darn mess. and he was the one
who was concerned about teaching me a little bit
about finances. i called him my 'financial adviser.'

i remember his worried tone as i told him numbers
and we went over bills and income and plans on how
to pull this whole thing off.

he worried, he advised, and he always always
encouraged me. he never once told me i couldn't do
it. he never once said anything negative.

he would say things like 'to pay that amount in bills,
we're gonna need more income.'

and i'm laughing.
most would have said 'ARE YOU KIDDING ME?? HOW THE
HECK ARE YOU GONNA DO THIS?!

but not him. he's always always told me i could do it.

he's been there since the very very beginning.
and today, he dropped me a note after receiving his
newsletter to tell me how proud he was of me, telling
me that i had come a long way.

i got teary reading it. i can't think of him and the
beginning days without remembering how hard it was then.

it's slow now. the economy is hurting things. but i've
been reminding myself that i'm paying my bills and i'm
still standing and for that i need to be grateful.

but his note reminded me of how far we've come. we are
miles further along from where we started. i've changed
so much. we're not only doin' fine, we're growin.

he and i have had a running joke for years that when i get
rich i'll buy him and his wife a condo. he mentioned the
condo today.

i had to tell him it's on hold right now....but we'll get
it. we'll get it.

to have a friend believe in you from the very start...
to understand your weak points and to offer to help strengthen
them in such an encouraging way...to never think (at least
out loud) that those weak points will break you...
to have a friend stand on the side and root you on....

it's priceless.

he's priceless.

thank you, tommio, for loving me the way you do.