“It was nice to gel together with old fiends and enjoy so much slaughter.”

Ever notice how one simple mistake can make such a huge difference? “Friend-Fiend”, “Laughter-Slaughter”. One simple mistake can have such an impact.

A simple mistake can change a happy situation to a horrible one. From laughter to slaughter. But the one I want to talk about is the “friend-fiend” error.

With one mistake, you can lose a friend. Treasure your friendships. Relationships are the most valuable thing you have. And one mistake can cause you to lose even the closest friend. Last year, I made the mistake of snapping harshly to a close friend. And the friendship has never been the same. It’s something I’ve regretted for the past 8 months, and something I’ll probably regret for the rest of my life.

To quote Brian Dyson, CEO of Coca Cola Enterprises from 1959-1994, ” Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling five balls in the air. You name them – work, family, health, friends, and spirit – and you’re keeping all of these in the air. You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. But the other four balls – family, health, friends, and spirit are made of glass. If you drop one of these, they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged, or even shattered. They will never be the same. You must understand that and strive for balance in your life.”

It’s probably obvious advice that you’ve heard before, but take extra care of your relationships. A simple mistake can change a friendship forever.