He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother.....

Twice this week friends have given me something of value. One gift I received was a book composed of beautiful, colorful computer art that the friend had done himself and the second was a handmade memento from a mission trip. Even though the physical value is great, the emotional value means more to me than they know. Both were given by a kind-hearted thoughtful friend.

Friends are very important to me. They always have been, but sometimes I forget HOW important. I have friends of all types, young, old, older...faraway friends in faraway places...close friends...acquaintenances...people who I thought were my friends but proved themselves not to be and those I thought weren't who proved themselves to BE...long ago friends, new ones...all sort of shapes, sizes, personalities.

Friends (like the two who shall remain anonymous)who walked me to my car when we were in the middle of the old BMS parking lot in a wind and rain storm. We had no umbrella among the three of us, but we DID have three white WalMart bags. We put them on over our heads, held them below our chins and when the winds blew, all three of the bags inflated. We looked like giant white cats with pointed ears. We laughed all the way home and sometimes I still laugh at what we looked like.


The one who never tells me I am wrong by saying, "You are wrong." She talks me into saying it myself. One day we were shopping for new purses and I wanted a BIG purse, like everyone else has...ever the fashionista...ha. I picked up one and it was roughly the size of a steamer trunk. I liked the color, it was borderline tacky, but I thought it would go "with everything". She didn't say anything. She just said, "Oh, here's a mirror. See what you think." When I looked at that vision in the mirror, I nearly dropped dead. I looked like a member of the armed services leaving for a six month tour of duty with a duffle bag over my shoulder. That one went back on the shelf.


My friend who says everything I write or paint is "fabulous! Your best ever!" We all need cheerleaders like her. No matter how bad I feel, if I see her coming, I know I'll feel better momentarily.


My "pleasingly plump" friend who always says that she can't tell I've gained an ounce! She knows better, she is a partner in crime (eating things we shouldn't) but IF I do happen to lose a little weight, she always says she can tell that, too.


I have a "pact" with two of my friends..if any one of us has to be put in "the home", the unconfined ones will faithfully come and visit and sneak in tweezers so we can make sure nothing is amiss on the chinny chin chin of the confined one. (This is VERY important.)


I have friends who have cried with me, laughed their heads off with me (and at me), and those who are there, no matter what time it is or what is going on in their own lives. Friends are mega important.


Since I've entered the sphere of blogging and the phenomenon of Facebook, I have reconnected with all sorts of friends. It has been my great pleasure to actually witness how my students have grown up, see their spouse and children, and talk to them sometimes daily or weekly. I love talking to my old hometown of Grenada friends! Church friends from years gone by make my day. Gosh, I even like talking to people I've worked with all day long! It's like going to the mailbox several times a day and receiving a great big pile of letters. I love to sit, savor and then converse with them all. When I hear people say, "Oh, I don't have time to FB." I think to myself, "How could you NOT make time for it?"


My hat's off to you, my friends. The greatest thing about my friends is their real spirit of friendship. You epitomize what friendship is all about. Thanks for being my friend and listening to my nonsense and sometimes to my "sense"! You are all "da bomb" and I love you supremely!