Cheerful Reality

These past few months I've come to see what a great difference a bit of encouragement and understanding can create in my own life as well as in others.
One thing I absolutely love in people is when they will not criticize, but be honest with me. One example is my dear friend Sierra. Sometimes she tells me things I do not want to hear, but I always know she is being honest and sincere. I never feel like she is doing anything less than building me up, yet she is not constantly complimentary. I find a dose of reality dealt with a cheerful spirit to be so refreshing. You find your true friends in the people that are looking out for you and not just trying to get in with you through transparent compliments. You find this kind of friend in the person who will sit and listen without smirking, interrupting, and picking up the cell phone. Sometimes it's the person that teases you endlessly but when it comes down to it will back you up. Striving for this kind of understanding relationship with my friends has really been a blessing to me in difficult times.