In life, it is always important to belong to a group or groups of people with whom one can confide with and share one’s problems with. In order for one to truly grow as a person, he or she must have a network of contacts or friends. These groups of friends can help one when he or she has issues or problems to deal with and can share the many joys he or she experiences in life. In my life, I have several groups of friends which are essential to my life. These include my family, my closest friends, my mentors, and my business contacts.
Although one’s own family is not normally included in the list of a person’s group of friends, I considered them as possibly the most important friends I have. My family provides me with the basic care and support that I need in all of my decisions in life whether they are good or bad. They share with my joy in all my accomplishments and successful moments and stand by me in all my failures or setbacks. There was rarely a time in my life when I had difficulty overcoming all my obstacles and problems simply because my family was always there to guide me.
I have received countless of useful advice from my parents and have also been showered with boosts of support by my siblings. In other words, my family is my most important social network simply because they function in all aspects of my life and serve as my advisers, my confidantes, and my best friends. Another group of friends I consider as highly important in my life are the people who are very close to me and whom I treat like my own brothers and sisters.
These are the people whom I have known for a very long time and have shared many of my ups and downs. For me, they are the “inner circle” among all my networks of friends as I know them inside and out. I can confide in them about almost anything—from my deepest secrets to my most foolish mistakes. These are the people whom I would immediately run to other than my family, whenever I have problems or major issues with which I need guidance and advice. They are also the ones whom I share common interests and dislikes with.
In short, my relationship with them transcends time, jobs, race, and social status, among others as they are always there for my no matter what the circumstances are. My mentors, on the other hand, are the people whom I regularly seek guidance from. Usually, these people are a lot older than me and have established jobs and careers in their respective fields. Although I normally cannot associate with their interests due to our age difference, I still consider them as one of my most trusted friends because they share with me essential knowledge in all the aspects of life.
Whether it’s regarding my career, my academics, or even regarding the simplest decision that I have to make, most of time, I seek their counsel before doing anything. Over the years, their wisdom and experience has taught me valuable lessons in life which I have always found useful. They have also made me realize that it is important in any person’s life to have someone other his or her parents, who is experienced enough to guide him or her in all of life’s obstacles and challenges.
Finally, another group of friends whom I consider important in my life are my business contacts. As their name implies, these are the people whom I do business with and who specialize in different areas. They can either be doctors, dentists, architects, engineers, or lawyers. Depending on my need, I consult them on a regular basis. In addition, although my relationship with them is strictly professional, I always see to it that I give them tokens of my appreciation and small gifts to show them that they are also important to me and to show that they are also my friends.