“Hello, old friend … “ I’ve been thinking a lot about friendship. Like many of us, I’ve been reaching out to people I’m not regularly in touch with, longing to reconnect, commiserate, reassure. I think it’s so interesting that, for many of us, connection only happens during a crisis.
Perhaps because I traveled so much as a child, and constantly had to leave friends behind, I usually felt our inherent friendship survived even if I rarely saw them again. And now that I’ve lived in the same place for many years, I feel the same way: when I don’t see a friend for several months, I think they’re still my friend. Aren’t they?
A friend is a friend whether you argue or whether you hug. A friend sees you as you are, and doesn’t mind. A friend is there when you need to talk—and not there if you don’t.
A friend asks nothing in return. A friend is like a welcome stranger: grateful for a place to stay, enjoying the conversation, and even willing to give their life for you, but then always going away. Friendship is epic. It’s over-arching, throughout life. A friend always remains grateful, encouraging, and true to the friendship, even if you never meet again. A friend is always in your heart and soul, but they dip in and out of your life, like days of the week or flowers coming back in spring.