A Good Friend to Have

Life is all about experiences. Some experiences are bad and hopefully you learn something from those experiences and avoid repeating them in the future. Some experiences are good and, if you're lucky, those experiences become great memories.
This past week, I was fortunate enough to return to Las Vegas for an annual forecasting conference being held at The Paris Hotel. I didn't go alone though. My good friend Jenyfer decided she needed a little R&R and she joined me for a four-day stay. The thing you need to know about Jen is that she has a certain lust for life. She loves great food, she loves great wine and she loves having a great time. I can't think of anyone better to spend a few days in Sin City with. And what a great time we had! How could we not with all the wonderful food we ate, the clubs we tried and our day at the Canyon Ranch Spa?
But these past few days brought with it a new appreciation for my friend. I realized Jen makes me try things I never would have thought to try on my own. I feel her philosophy is "if you have the means to do it, why don't you at least give it a try?" Thanks to her, I dined at a Five Diamond restaurant and drank cocktails in a bar made completely of ice (really everything was ice. The tables, the chairs, even the glasses we drank out of). I stood on the patio of a nightclub and watched the Bellagio Fountains dance right in front of me. I even contemplated getting a tattoo at some point . . .
And while I was enjoying these experiences I kept thinking how lucky I was to be there. How blessed I am to have a job that pays me to go to Vegas (and pays well enough so I can enjoy Five Diamond restaurants). To have a friend that wanted to share those experiences with me. A family that lovingly let me go - "stay safe and have fun." And lastly a warm house to come home to. And then I thought - Isn't this the very definition of happiness? To know what you have and to be grateful for it. Sounds good enough to me.
So here's to Jen. Thanks for opening my eyes to the possibilities. Thanks for making me laugh. Thanks for always being the definition of a great friend!