Life will always present us with situations that help us evaluate the quality of relationships we have with the people in our lives, either meaningful or otherwise. With situations of this ilk also comes an opportunity to assess and streamline relationship boundaries. Subtraction is addition - reducing the size of one’s circle can also present an opportunity to narrow down on the entities that remain therein, and as such foster and feed meaningful relationships. By virtue of recent life events, I was blessed with one of such opportunities, an opportunity to decipher with clarity, people in my life that simply love me, unconditionally.

We are typically confronted with or connected to three different types of people in our lives. Confidants, Constituents, and Comrades.

Confidants are those people in your life that love you unconditionally and who are 100% into you as a person. They are strong allies and secret keepers - Your secrets (good or bad) are safe with them. A confidant loves you simply for you, they are not just there for the ride. They will go through thick and thin with you, come hell or high waters. Even when life strips you of all your earthly possessions, they will still be there. They will celebrate your highs, and support you through your lows. When you lose your vision, are disillusioned by your dreams or down in the doldrums, they will stand by you. Few and far between, we’re only blessed with a handful of them in a lifetime. They are divinely interwoven into the fabric of your life, divinely made for you as you are for them. “Without them, one may never fulfil one’s divine destiny”.

Constituents unlike confidants are not into you, they are only into what you stand for. As long as you stand for what they stand for, they will walk with you and graft with you, “but never think that they are for you, they are for what you are for.” Should they encounter someone else who will advance their agenda, they will jettison you and align with that other person’s vision. Akin somewhat to politicians, Constituents believe in what you believe, but never be mistaken by what the constituent is really about, they are only there for the ride or when the going is good. Nonetheless, constituents are important because they do believe in your cause and will support you through it. It is increasingly difficult to decipher the difference between a Constituent and a Confidant. Sadly, only when you’re in desperate need, trouble or somewhat separated from what they love can you tell that the constituent doesn’t love you, and that they were only there for what you stood for.

Comrades interestingly don’t like you for you, neither do they like what you’re for, they just hate what you hate - “You have a common enemy”. Figuratively, that common enemy could be a person, a policy or political administration. They will go to battle with you against the common enemy, but remember to keep your armour on once the battle is won, because they can turn round and thrust their sword into you. “Similar to scaffolding, they come into your life to fulfil a purpose, and when the purpose is complete, the scaffolding is removed”. Refrain from being upset when the scaffolding is removed…because the building remains.”

Conclusively, it is no news that one’s degree of success is intricately connected to the quality of people you’re surrounded by. Oftentimes we have difficulty letting certain people go which in turn prevents us from focusing on and nurturing our meaningful relationships. Understand and accept that people may come and go. Celebrate their purpose, and be happy your paths crossed in the journey of life. Be grateful for your confidants, they are the people in your life that truly believe in you, and your dreams. Hold onto your confidants…they are blessings.

Remember - “False friends are like autumn leaves, everywhere. True friends are like spring leaves, evergreen.”

Peace, Love & Light,