Can I Borrow Some Empowerment? The Never Ending Importance of Great Friends

"Friendship multiplies the good of life and divides the evil."

Baltasar Gracian

Reunions carry a certain mystique. At high school and college reunions, alumni both accomplished and otherwise return to find the answer to a few questions: Did so and so get their life together? Is shorty still fine? Do they still call him "Pretty Ricky"? When classic bands reunite after years away from the spotlight, we all wonder do they still possess the voices and energy, or have years of partying, eating, and in-group fighting stripped away their allure. Needless to say I was extremely excited to reunite with my crew of best friends last weekend, known to people near and far as the Young Men of Empowerment (Excellence), "Y.Me".  Eleven years ago, 5 ambitions men (which grew to 6) from incredibly different backgrounds were brought together by competition, music, Black pride, and aspirations to be the best. Years and accomplishments later, we still come together and break bread.

The reunion was a great time and truly reinvigorated me, and it was a humbling feeling to host 4 of the most unique people I've ever encountered. Over some strong libations, we discussed where we are, where we were, women, and the wild situations we found ourselves in over the duration of our friendship. Our conversation sparked both hilarity and unforeseen insight, but perhaps the most important element of this reunion was the encouragement that each member provided. A week later, the revelations that were offered are just as impactful.

There are different ways to be great, successful, and grown.

Behind every successful person are people that helped them reach their success, and each of those people use their own methods to guide that successful person. They shared their individual greatness with that person, and helped them become great in their own way. I have many people to thank for being who I am, and none of them offering the same gift. My mother nurtured me, while my father taught me manhood. My grandparents stressed the importance of family, and the Brown family showed me spirituality and faith. When I look at my Y.Me cohorts, each of those guys are special for their own reason. Garvin is the New York socialite, the ultimate networker who builds opportunities for himself and others. Devyn, a creative enigma, is always steadfast in his beliefs and his personality, while Ray is the free spirit, relentless in his quest of quality living. Jeff is the business hustler who will always find a way to the revenue stream, and Rob is the young cog who offers a vibrant perspective. None of us possess the same skill set, but each of us is great in our own way. In an era of cyber bullying, internet gangsters, and overall haters, we have a hard time giving credit to people different from what we like or are accustomed to. Greatness is greatness, and it comes in different styles and colors.

Certain topics and memories are best left behind us.

My mother recently referenced a T.D. Jakes sermon where he reminds us there is joy in the present. We often dwell on the past or stress about our future, worried about someone or something that is not here. As a result we lose day after day, over-concerned with former flames, opportunities that have not arrived, or unresolved rifts. While Y.Me has remained a close unit for over a decade, we experienced our own trials; my friends outside of Y.Me commonly refer to our story as a bootleg version of "The Best Man". We've had rough stretches as all friends and great teams do and in retrospect, some battles never received that signature conversation that puts all issues to rest. During a portion of the reunion, it appeared that one of our toughest times in college was about to rear its ugly head. But as the tension rose like heat throughout the friend circle, we came to a fork in the road where we had to ask ourselves is it time to move forward. We've all matured and outgrown certain immature behaviors and decisions, and rehashing those painful memories would be detrimental to the cohesion we have now. In life it's good to enjoy the now, and use the moment to create a better future.

Inspiration is essential to improvement.

For a moment, albeit brief, I lost the motivation to use my gifts. I didn't want to write anymore. Owning a record label looked too daunting, and my most important role of being a mature, responsible family man seemed to be overwhelming. When it appeared that this burnout was prime for an extended stay, my friends were there, making the burdens of everyday life seem a tad lighter. Laughter, excitement, and pure happiness for someone other than yourself seems to compartmentalize work duties. finance, relationship challenges, and other elements of life that at times are given way too much of our energy.

While all of those things have significant value, they all rank below love, realizing our purpose, and enjoying life as much as possible. These pillars are life are synonymous with self improvement, and improvement require the desire to do so. Listening to Jeff tell his story of overcoming adversity or watching Garvin and Devyn mold themselves into elite professional Black men under the age of 30 surely revive my spirit to match their greatness and be inspiration for them and youth everywhere.

With the sky the limit for all of us, we truly have much more to accomplish in the years to come. The legacy of Y.Me is only beginning, in terms of career accomplishments, families, and social awareness. Yet the foundation of our potential and actual greatness is friendship, and for that I am truly appreciative. Y.Me 4 Life.