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.
