On Friendship

Recently, I have been blown away by my friends. In the past couple of days alone, a couple friends have showered me with random acts of kindness. One friend wrote and sent me a letter; it was so moving, it made me cry. Another friend has hooked me up with an amazing job possibility. One newer friend called me today just to chat about life. And this has just been in the past couple of days. But on a consistent basis too, I have friends who read my blog and comment on it. Another friend often sends me little text messages. And finally, another friend frequently reminds me of all my good qualities when I'm feeling blue. Yes, I feel the love from friends. I am definitely blessed.

C.S. Lewis in his book The Four Loves describes friendship like this:

"But in friendship...we think we have chosen our peers. In reality a few years' difference in the dates of our births, a few more miles between certain houses, the choice of one University instead of another, posting to different regiments, the accident of a topic being raised at a first meeting--any of these chances might have kept us apart. But, for a Christian, there are, strictly speaking, no chances. A secret Master of ceremonies has been at work. ..The Friendship is not a reward for our discrimination and good taste in finding one another out. It is the instrument by which God reveals to each the beauties of all the others. They are no greater than the beauties of a thousand other men; by Friendship God opens our eyes to them. They are, like all beauties, derived from Him, and then, in a good friendship, increased by Him through the Friendship itself, so that it is his instrument for creating as well as revealing." (89-90).

I couldn't sum it up better than Lewis. Through my friends, I experience samples of God's loving kindness even when I am sometimes tempted to think (but for a moment) that he has forgotten about me. Here's a shout out to friends; you guys rock! Thanks for all the encouragement.