I have the very best friends on the planet. Truly—the absolute world champions! How blessed I am to have a handful of very close women, whose love for me is never in doubt. And when I need them, do they ever come through!
I’m pretty good at staying on track, working my spiritual/psychological program and facing whatever comes. I bet you are too. But you know how sometimes the stressors just seem sustained? And when that happens, there’s never just one. Rather, they pile on like rats to cheese bait and always avoid the trap. For weeks to months, the horizon always seems further down the road.
It’s been one of those kinda times. Know what I mean? When work has been a mountain (which is a good thing!), family issues abounded (which isn’t!) and beautiful Siren can’t seem to shake her infection—six weeks in (which if I’m not careful can send me over a cliff).
But the Source of this Universe always has the antidote. And over the holiday weekend, that came in the blessed form of my fabulous friends.
I have to laugh too—sometimes it takes a village. For Thanksgiving Day, my wonderful friends Charlotte and Sara brought much joy and laughter. And ah, did we just feast! Last year I cooked for ten. This one, we were small in number but huge in heart. Sometimes an intimate gathering is just the ticket.
Friday I spent with my dog friends, one of whom, Cheri, always brings a calmness to my soul, just by her very presence. A bigger group, we again laughed and supped and drank in puppy breath—the greatest elixir on the planet.
And then Saturday was filled with my sister-friend Suzanne, amidst the chaos of kids, two-legged and four. But through it all we carved out much time to visit just the two of us. She always brings me peace.
By Sunday, I was feeling human again. Ah! Guess God figured I needed the Triple Threat, one with the one-two punch!
But now, as the stressors may wend up the road toward me again, I can face them with joy and laughter, peace and calm.
What more could a girl ask for?
As C.S. Lewis said, “Affection is responsible for nine-tenths of whatever solid and durable happiness there is in our lives.”
Hm. I would amend that. I’m fairly sure it’s 99/100ths. Yep, so much means enormous amounts to us. Otherwise, those stressors wouldn’t matter! But the concept of not having close friends never gels in my head, much less my heart or soul. How on earth do folks live without them?
So, to my dear friends, thanks for your patience. Thank you for your understanding. Thank you for your perpetual kindness, for being present in the tough times. And mostly, thank you for your love. It sustains me.
How do your friends save you?
