QUOTE OF THE WEEK
"Today a man discovered gold and fame,
Another flew the stormy seas;
Another set an unarmed world aflame,
One found the germ of a disease.
But what high fates my path attend:
For I--today--I found a friend."
--Helen Barker Parker
PERSONAL REFLECTIONS
What a wonderful and powerful statement we have from Helen Parker. It poetically paints how the great actions of men and women pale in comparison to the finding of a true friend. The gift of friendship far exceeds any material gifts that we could give or receive.
In the course of our lives, there is that small circle of people who we can count as our true friends. They are the ones with which we have a special connection. They ask nothing but give much; their friendship is unconditional. They comfort without being condescending. They accept us for who we are and not who they want us to be. At the same time, they encourage us in our dreams to be something better, to reach for the stars. They do not give us limits but instead break down boundaries. They see us at our worst and at our best and show the same love regardless. Distance does not lessen the connection. Time does not dilute the feelings. They are our friends. There is a special place in our hearts that is theirs and theirs alone.
The gift of friendship may come in many forms. It can be from a teacher, lover, parent, child, girl friend, boy friend, spouse, best buddy, coworker, spiritual advisor, or neighbor. The form it takes matters not; the gift that is given does. Cherish the friends you have. Tell them how much they mean to you. And hold as the most precious of life's experiences, those very special friends. Be a friend. Receive friendship.
Blessings and Love,
Allen Schmeltz
Copyright © 1999 Allen F. Schmeltz. All rights reserved.
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