Friends like You

It’s friends like You who I want to keep forever. 

It’s friends like You who I wish I could order in bulk. I could duplicate You and manufacture You and give You away as a gift. Leave You on the porch of the widow next door. Stick You under a Christmas tree for a neglected child.

You, Friend, have touched my life right on its tender spot. At first the pressure hurt – You saw characteristics in me that I couldn’t see in myself. Or rather, the characteristics You saw weren’t there yet. You brought them out of me. You saw me for who I really was. And after a while, the tender spot You had ever so carefully patched up began to heal and the hurt I felt scabbed over. I finally felt okay with myself and selfishly ripped You off like a band aid – I didn’t need Your unconditional love as protection anymore. I was strong on my own, but I wasn’t strong enough. 

And just like that – I tripped and fell again and reopened my nearly-healed wound. I crawled back to You like a child and without question You wrapped your arms around me and whispered in my ear and kissed the tears off of my wet cheeks. And just like that I swore to never leave You again. My heart was open to You, and that made the hurt go away even faster. Soon my tender spot was nearly non-existent and I had never been happier. We walked hand in hand into the sunset just like a movie except this wasn’t a movie – this was real life and I soaked every second of it in. You told me that You were especially fond of me, and I smiled ear to ear.

It was a week later when I saw You. You were running, arms outstretched, to help another little girl get back on her feet. At first I was angry, but I caught myself. Anger is a secondary emotion – there is always something deeper behind it. Fearjealousybetrayalsadness. I braced myself and waited for my emotions to eat me alive, but just then You caught my eye. Your ever constant gaze knocked me to my knees and I was overwhelmed by gladness and love and everything good. I rushed to that little girl with all of my strength and flung my arms around her neck and told her that she was beautiful and precious and worth all the pain in the world. I wiped the tears off of her cheeks and brushed her hair and told her that I was especially fond of her. She looked up at me with swollen eyes and thanked me but I knew she wasn’t thanking me – she was really thanking You. It was Your example she was impressed with, and she had every right to be.

You, Friend, live through me every day and I see You as a light in other people’s eyes. We walk hand in hand in hand in hand and have never been happier. My tender spot has been replaced with the unwavering love for others that You have so graciously given me. And for that I thank You with all of my heart.

You, Friend, are just the type I’d like to get delivered to my house.