You Are My Friend

You are my Friend

Of all the possible relationships between human beings: lovers, spouses, parent-child, siblings, teacher-student, healer-patient etc., perhaps the sweetest and freest is that of friendship because it demands and expects the least from the other. A friend is someone we freely choose to have in our lives, not someone placed there by life or circumstances. A friend can also be someone given to us by life or circumstances: lover, spouse, parent, child, sibling, teacher, student, healer, patient, employer, employee, colleague - whom we delight in so that we are bound by heart, not by prescription.

A friend is someone whose spirit resonates with ours. Being with a friend makes our pleasure in life keener. Our friend's presence makes the moment richer and fuller. In our friend's presence, we are more; we become closer to all we can truly be: nobler, kinder, wiser, more beautiful in every sense of that word, and therefore, happier. Being with a friend is surely one of the sweetest joys in life.

Paradoxically, with a friend, we can be who we are at the moment: mean, petty, immature, unlovable and still be truly accepted and loved because our friend sees us whole. With a friend we do not have to wear masks nor shield; we can lay down our weapons for there is nothing to hide or defend ourselves from - we are safe. We can be who we truly are for that is who our friend loves - not someone we conjure up that he might accept because our friend loves us as we uniquely are.

Of all the possible relationships between us, I am glad that it is friendship. I am grateful that Life gave us to each other in this way. You make one¹s pleasure in life keener. Being with you makes the moments richer and fuller. When I am with you, I am more and I am safe. I thank you from my deepest heart for being my Friend....