Of friends and strangers

an old friend sent me a text message this morning that says:

‘If someone asks me what friendship is, I would stand next to you…

Smile and wrap my arms around you and proudly say…

This is what I call friendship!’

how endearing can a simple thought and message be?

the ones that come from a friend you rarely see and commune; yet warms your heart

in ways that can even move you to tears.

how are friendships defined?

three things…(from what I can tell underlies the text message)

one, the element of choice – I choose you to be my friend and so ‘I would stand next to you’ to tell the world that you are my friend.

two, the element of mutual respect and trust and so I ‘smile and wrap my arms around you’

as I care,

as I accept you for who you are

as I believe in the goodness of your heart;

as I believe that with you, I am drawn to become my better self in the same way that you are too when you are with me

as I will be here to listen – even when you choose to be silent…I am ok with silence

three, the element of constancy and so ‘proudly I say this is what I call friendship’

because ours transcends time and distance

and so thank you …

in celebration of the friendships we have built…and

will yet to build.

cheers to friends!

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