Community Manager

I like to display my Christmas and birthday cards on a vertical metal "string" on one of my living room doors. Since these days I hardly get any snail mail apart from these, I usually leave them hanging for weeks before I take them down and either throw them out, or, depending on whether I love the card and/or the message enough to keep it, put them in a box. I used to keep all cards for the longest time before I realised that my storage space was not endless, so these days I also often just take a photo of some messages as opposed to hanging on to it. Last weekend, I (finally) cleared away my birthday cards and there was one by a friend who is actually among those I have known least in terms of years. She thanked me for being a good friend, adding that I should keep doing what I am (according to her) so good at: "being a community manager both at work and with your friends". I really, really loved being characterised like that as this is something I both love doing and what comes naturally to me. I really like putting like-minded people in touch with each other and get the conversation going. 

Her kind words also made me realise that I should put more efforts in my own messages and wishes because you clearly can make the recipient just as happy (if not more so) with words than with the actual gift. Also, the older I get, the more, I value real friendship as opposed to "fair-weather-friendship" and try to stay away from people who fall into the latter category.