Friends

This one's Better.

Friends are good things to have around; they make life a lot more fun. I've been thinking about the friends I've made over the many years I've been around and have decided I like 'em.

Seems like almost everywhere I've lived I have found very special friends who have hung in there with me over the years: yeah, even The Dad. He has hung the longest, I guess, and we haven't killed each other yet even though we have been married forever. Won't say we haven't thought of it--never divorce but-.

Now, I don't know that I would know "deep" discussions if I fell into one and drowned but I feel like I have special friends that I can talk about my deepest feelings with and know that they will not think less of me nor will they blab everything they know. We can discuss the Lord, Heaven, even Hell and disagree and not hate each other. We can discuss death and life, is that "deep"? I don't know. I do know that we at the cancer center periodically discuss how our values have changed having faced death and cronic illnesses. Is that "deep"? Politics and philosophy don't grab me much as being "deep" though when I was young I thought so. I think I am so much more into feelings and not into intellectual pursuits that to me, "deep" is in feeling and not smarts. Good thing.

The Daughter once told me that people in the South who say "If you need anything, call," really mean it and I have found that to be true. I think this is the first time I have really needed to depend on people for a long period of time (and don't like it: I'm too independent) and the Lord is teaching me a lot from it. I'm glad I am here instead of so many other places I could be. I especially think of Cindy who loved me enough to talk really firmly to me and send me to the Dr. so I didn't die. Then I was there for her to talk her through dying and help her be ready to face her Lord gladly. I think of next-door-neighbor, Karen who dropped what she was doing and came over when I called and said I was really sick and needed distraction. And then there is Linda who came over and spent 5 hours wrapping Christmas gifts and stayed because she was afraid to leave me alone; she being the same one who drove 90 miles a day for 6 weeks to take me to radiation. And there are Barb and Laura who listen and listen and tell me I'm not bad but OK no matter what I think. I could go on and on. Yes, here I have made so many friends. And my earlier friends who were really friends have kept touch even though I haven't really felt like a lot of contact. My Lake Geneva friends, my Kokomo friends are still there even though I don't see them much.

The people who ran away when I became sick don't feel much like real friends and I don't much miss them. Their loss: I hope they never become sick enough to need someone. They don't like me when I can't counsel them or listen for hours. That's OK. I'll have that time in Heaven.

Oh and did I mention my precious family most of whom love me no matter what and I feel the same about them. Best of all is my Lord who loves me in spite of all my sins and failures and doesn't find fault--just forgives me for it all even when I don't talk to Him as much as I should. One thing about Him: He's forever and ever!!! God is so Good!!!!

1 Corinthians 13:13