Our impact will only be felt by those closest to us. That is why it is so important to make sure that we spend the majority of our time developing and fostering those relationships. I am not going to live for 100 more years, but I may live another 40 – 50 years. During that time, I will have grandchildren and even some great-grandchildren. Some of my great-grandchildren will be alive 100 years from now and if I take the time to love and cherish them, they will remember me.

They are the keepers of my legacy. If I ignore them, they will forget me just like everybody else. It is crucial for us to learn this as early as possible and then to live and behave accordingly. Any other way will only lead to unfulfilled potential. [...]

Sadly, not all relationships are like this. Some friends are toxic. I have invested in many friendships that I knew would never become healthy friendships. I held to a belief that if I loved enough, the other person would learn to love me too. Sometimes, it just doesn’t work. I have learned the hard way, on more than one occasion, that it really is easier to end these relationships than it is to hang on to them and hope that they will somehow mature. [...]