There are special people that walk in and out of our lives, but leave their footprints behind for us to remember. And what is interesting is that even though distance or years may separate you, you never forget their presence or the memories you shared together.

I’ve met a lot of people throughout my life, many associates, but true friendships and relationships were always a rarity. The older I become, the more I appreciate and reflect on the impact those relationships had on my life at particular times.

When we love someone in its truest of form, it is a pure love, a love with no conditions. Love out of purity can develop over time or be instantaneous in some situations.

When we love or care for someone unconditionally it is because we want to, not because we feel we have to. We don’t love that person because of what they do for us. We don’t love them because we want something that they have. We love them because we have a special place reserved in our hearts and in our spirits specifically for them. This love is unshaken because it is based on truth not on convenience.

One of the keys to obtaining a better life or living arrangement is to assess the quality of relationships that you surround yourself with. Do you surround yourself with loving relationships or unhealthy relationships? For someone that has a pattern or history with unhealthy relationships, the difference between the two may be difficult to decipher.

Healthy relationships are relationships that add to our well being, not subtract. They bring out the best of us by being supportive of our goals and our inner selves. Unhealthy relationships often cause us stress and subtract from our well being, often leaving us feeling depleted of energy.