Gratitude for True Friendship

My BFF called me yesterday evening in tears. A number of things had gone wrong that day, and her feelings were very badly hurt by someone she loves. On top of all that, she was worrying about a future situation that might or might not (but probably will) happen, and she can do nothing to stop it.

We talked for nearly an hour, and when we got off the phone, she was still quite upset, BUT she had shared with me what was going on in her inner-most being and I had been able to offer some comfort and help carry at least one of the loads weighing her down.

She is my shoulder when I need to cry also. She can be counted upon to empathize, to get mad with me, to feel sorrow with me, and to tell me when I am out of line. She's even been known to say things like, "I feel bad that it has to be that way for you," and if I respond that I'm not really that upset about it, she replies, "But I'm upset FOR you, I can do that, I'm your best friend." What I see later is that she is carrying a load of mine by herself for a while until I'm strong enough to acknowledge a situation and it's true impact. Isn't that a great friend!

"A blessed thing is it for any man or woman to have a friend; one human soul whom we can trust utterly; who knows the best and the worst of us, and who loves us in spite of all our faults; who will speak the honest truth to us, while the world flatters us to our face, and laughs at us behind our back; who will give us counsel and reproof in the day of prosperity and self-conceit; but who, again, will comfort and encourage us in the day of difficulty and sorrow, when the world leaves us alone to fight our own battle as we can." ~~ Kingsley (_Leaves of Gold_, ed. by Clyde Francis Lytle, 1963)