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Giuseppe's avatar

Thanks for sharing my dear friend I have come to appreciate from afar and wish some day to meet in person! We're all different, of course... you are just you and we can't be friends at the same level with everyone, but I have found that God brings some people along our way just at the right moment, He knows what, when, where, how we need so just trust God to meet ALL your needs in Jesus and He will. For what it may matter, you are so precious to my heart and I praise God for you.

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Colby Martin's avatar

Your words are a gift, Giuseppe. Some day, my brother, I shall make it to your corner of the world and we shall sip Negronis while eating a margherita pizza. Deal?

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Giuseppe's avatar

I am waiting for you any time my friend. Just remember I am almost 70... I would like to have that pizza this side of eternity, please...

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Lauren Salles's avatar

You're human!! You hold yourself to such a high standard. No one is perfect. Your commitment to growth is inspiring. I know you aren't fishing for compliments but I just want to say, it's ok to lighten up and cut yourself some slack. Friendship is so hard and we've all made mistakes, consciously or not. Keep on keeping on and thanks for sharing 🫶

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Colby Martin's avatar

🥹 Thank you, Lauren. Your kindness and grace are well received.

You're right, friendship IS hard. One of the best gifts I think we can give each other is the permission to not be our best selves.

"Let people suck" is a bumper sticker I wish I had.

(Though not ACTUALLY, because I have never put a bumper sticker on my car, and never will... of course, that's not to say I haven't put tons of OTHER kinds of stickers on my car... 🫣 https://www.perspectiveshift.co/p/the-night-i-tried-to-impress-both

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Don Lewis's avatar

Colby, I can so relate to this post. I love how you broke it down with real examples and provide solution for addressing each one of those areas. Thank you for being vulnerable and sharing this. It gave me food for thought in my own journey to be a better friend to people in my life.

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Colby Martin's avatar

Thanks, Don. I'm glad to know my efforts to practice vulnerability here resonated with you. Grateful for you!

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PAUL Luther VINES's avatar

"Your young life (43) is like a green banana, over time it turns to sweetness."

No one is perfect, we all have a sinful human nature. Yes, go camping and meditate. We all are sinners, yet we are loved by God as we are. And though we will never be perfect, God sees us as perfect. We just become better human beings.

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PAUL Luther VINES's avatar

"Your young life (43) is like a green banana; over time it turns to sweetness."

No one is perfect. Yes, go camping and use the time to meditate. We all have a selfess nature. We are all sinners, but still, we're loved by God just as we are; and though we will never be perfect, He sees us as perfect. We just get better at being human beings.

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Virgin Monk Boy's avatar

Sometimes the bravest thing you can do for a friendship is to drag your own shadow into the light and let people see the patterns you’ve been hiding behind.

Self-absorption, achievement-chasing, fear of vulnerability, stinginess — these are just the survival strategies the false self uses to avoid being seen as small, needy, or unworthy.

The real work isn’t polishing them. It’s loosening your grip until they stop steering the whole relationship.

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Milan Cronovich's avatar

This is self absorbed BS

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Colby Martin's avatar

That's a mean thing to say.

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