In my lifetime I have found that true friendship is very hard to come by, and can be even harder to maintain once it’s established. People do not typically go seek out friendship, but rather it tends to happen organically. I met Catie and Jim about a year ago at my brothers wedding. Catie was a bridesmaid and I was a groomsman.
I was immediately struck by Jim’s kindness towards my family. From making sure the bride and groom had drinks after the wedding to driving my mom around in the golf cart due to her limited mobility, Jim was the unsung hero of the day. So, how do we best set ourselves up for lasting relationships? I think it is all about selflessness and serving the other person. With Catie and Jim I did not just want to simply take their photos. I wanted to serve them by giving them an amazing photography experience through their engagement session and their wedding day. I began to serve Jim and Catie by meeting with them to hang out and talk wedding stuff, but to also just see how they were doing. It wasn’t strictly business. Yes, I was being paid but, you can get paid, show up and do a job or you can serve people and find something that is far more valuable than money, a lasting relationship.
By the time Catie and Jim’s wedding rolled around I felt as though I was friends with them and their day held more meaning to me as a result. At the reception Catie wanted a picture with me. I felt really honored as most the time on a wedding day everyone is clamoring to have their picture taken with the bride, but she wanted a shot with me. I was the last person Jim hugged before he left, and I could feel the appreciation he had for the experience that was given. All of this long-windedness is to say that it is important to serve people whether they are a client, a family member, or a friend. It is contagious and serving others comes back to you tenfold and even if it does’t, there is a simple joy in knowing that you have positively impacted someone. So go serve someone today. It could be something as simple as holding the door, taking someone dinner, or calling someone up to ask them how they are doing (no don’t text them, call them or get crazy and meet them in person). When we do things that are unselfishly motivated it makes us better people and it makes others strive to be better as well. Marriage is all about serving the other person and making them better. Congratulations you two. Serve Well!!
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