|
I have heard it said that if a man died and had one true friend, he was
fortunate. If he died
and had two true friends, he was most fortunate. If he died and had three
true friends, he
died a wealthy man.
The Amish use the word friend to signify a fellow member of their sect.
Others use it to
classify anyone they have an acquaintance with. I have known people who
would start a
sentence with, “I have a friend..........” or maybe they will substitute the
word buddy, “I
have a buddy........”. I submit to you that a vast difference lies between a
friend and an
acquaintance.
I must admit the word is used in a lot of cases where there is not much
reason to use it.
Some people like to brag about having a lot of friends. I think they use the
term in order
to sell themselves or their wares to people. Some use it to try to puff
themselves up to be
more important than they actually are and some use the word without fully
realizing the
real meaning or it’s significance..
I can say looking back on my life that I have been blessed with a few good
friends. If
one of them called me and said they had a need, I would do everything in my
power to
see those needs met. I would do anything to be there to share their burden
and try to lift
them out of any pit. I feel in my heart of hearts that those same people
would come to
my aid just as rapidly should I need it.
I think the meaning of a true friend is a person who knows everything there
is to know
about you and still likes to be around you. That certainly separates the
wheat from the
weeds real quick and lets you know why a lot of people have taken your name
out of their
rolodex.
It is not easy being a true friend. It means you have to show yourself
friendly. It means
you have to bite your tongue and swallow your pride. It means you sometimes
have to
tell your friend things you know will go against the grain of your
relationship. It means
that sometimes you will have to defend that person when it is not popular to
do so.
Fear not though, there is a bright side. That person will come to your aid
when needed
and will go through the rough times with you. They will laugh and cry and
stay true until
the bitter end and never expect anything in return.
I am sure along the way I have taken some names out of the rolodex and have
added some
new ones. I know for sure there have been people who used me and took
advantage of
my friendship. I would not be honest if I didn’t admit that I used some
people along life’s
trail to get what I wanted or to get where I wanted to go.
There are those who make it a habit of using others, they make themselves
friendly to get
into someone’s favor just to take advantage of their friendship.. I knew a
person like that
once. When he died his widow sat alone at the funeral home and pall barriers
had to be
hired to take him to the cemetery.
It is a secure feeling indeed to know that you have one friend whom you can
count on to
help you through life’s ups and downs. A friend that will be there even when
the whole
world turns against you. It is a good feeling to know you will be there for
your friend, if
he should ever need you.
We all need a friend. We all need someone in our life whom we know for sure,
when the
storm comes, they will be there? If you have such a friend, you should hold
them in your
bosom like an alabaster box. A treasure, set aside for a special time.
My wife is my very best friend. That is as it should be. She has seen me
through some
tough times and has been strong when I was weak. I’ve had other friends who
have been
there for me, but not with the love and dedication she has shown.. She knows
when the
storm comes in her life that I will be her rock, her pillar of strength,
when she is weak.
Who will be the first to arrive and the last to leave when life’s storms
hit?
A friend...... It is not only the right thing to do. It is the friendly
thing to do.
|
