Friendship

There is no real friendship until we share the personal experience of who we are. We cannot have both truth and love in our lives until we share our truth and love, until we speak from "I" and take responsibility. We must stop putting all our pain on "you", on the others in our lives. Until I take responsibility for my own mistakes, where I have stumbled and fallen, where I hurt and stop blaming my pain on others, I cannot know truth or love.

I have a friend. We have known each other for over 30 years. We have known each other across the continent. We have stood together in storms, never knowing if we would be safe. We have comforted each other through accidents, illness, fear and loss. We have held each other when our parents died.

I have loved him when he tried to hide and my words could not reach him. He has loved me when I felt unworthy of love. Because we dared to trust, to open our souls to each other, because we have broken to pieces in front of each other, we have the privilege of saying, as if for the first time,

“You are my friend.”

I look at him, after what for many is a lifetime, and we say, “Tell me your truth, share your love.” Let us sit closely together, more interested in huddling together than flying away.

Having a real friend, one with whom you can share your deepest fears and greatest joy, is a form of wealth that will bring you everything you need.

To find this kind of friend, we must be this kind of friend.