Thoughts . . .

November 12-18, 2000 - Vol. 3, No. 25

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QUOTATION OF THE WEEK

I am thankful for my friends because they are there when the good times aren't.
--Maria Brown, age fifteen

PERSONAL REFLECTIONS

True friendship is a precious jewel in our lives. A true friend--one who is there in rain or shine--is like a lifeline when we are sinking into the sea of sadness, a beacon to bring us home. They are with us unconditionally, asking nothing in return. They embrace us, help us, and sometimes just sit with us. They rejoice in our successes and console us in our failures. They can also be brutally honest with us about our faults and fallacies, not out of meanness or egotism, but out of a desire to help us avoid the pitfalls they see in our path.

We have acquaintances throughout our lives, and while we cross paths with many, true friends are a rarity. They are the ones with whom we feel comfortable sharing our innermost secrets. They are the ones we can cry with and not feel ashamed or uncomfortable about doing so. They are also the ones we can laugh with, I mean really laugh, at life and ourselves. Yet, friendships are not always smooth roads. Potholes, bumps, disagreements and misunderstandings can abound. However, the difference that sets a true friendship apart from our other relationships is how true friends resolve the rough spots. A true friendship, the special and rare kind, recognizes that though one has reached a difficult spot, the rewards of resolution far outweigh the alternatives. The test of true friendship is the willingness to work together out of respect and love.

So nurture your friendships. Value them more than any material thing this world has to offer. They are both strong and fragile at the same time. Strong in that no outside force can destroy the bond of true friendship and fragile in that the inside dynamics between two people can. Be a true friend and embrace a true friend. The rewards are great . . .