Keeping our Place inside the World: The Value of Friendship: EDITED
Today was a day for the celebration of friendship. Real and true friendship is a great gift, to be valued and treasured, in my humble opinion. My girlfriend and I went to Disneyland, just two women, alone, no children and we had a blast. We were both talking about how we grew up at Disneyland, and watched the magic of this kingdom loom into a larger than life place. As I was going on Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, I remembered how that entire experience could have been used, at one time to describe the roller coaster quality of my own life. Loving adventure, drama and a flare for the unusual, it seemed as if my life, was to some degree or another, like being on a wild ride. Today, I live a quieter, more peaceful life, for which I am so grateful.
When I came home, I found many emails including one from a dear friend with some news about his life that has made me feel sad and has caused some pain tonight. Being someone whom I care about deeply, this email has jared and shaken me up a bit. It made me think how, when we experience change, or personal pain, in one form or another, it can be difficult to keep a sense of balance and keep our place inside of the world. Writing this post on the 30th of August is strange and a reminder of how fragile life can be. It was a day when my daughter became ill last year, and acts as a trigger of all the memories of the pain and difficulties that one can feel when a life is uprooted, or the foundation cracks. The building still stands, but is not stable, and can at times be shaky with some lose parts. How we must care for, nuture and be there for our friends, no matter what to help that foundation be rebulit if necessary.
Accrording to Marjorie Holmes, the person who treasures his/her friends is usually solid gold to himself/herself. The best way we can climb mountains and achieve the greatest of all goals, it to be there for our friends. We carry on our own values and dreams, as we stay connected to our loving, caring friends.
My sincere hope is that my friend will regain his strength and balance. That his foundation will stay together and remain or become strong. That my daughter continues to be strong and stay well too.
Tell me about a special friend in your life, and what makes him/her so special. How do you stay strong for that person in difficult times, and let him/her know that you are there always?
My posts and comments may be hit or miss over this week due to a heavy work load. I'll check in as often as I am able. Be well and take good care.
Thank you for your minds.
When I came home, I found many emails including one from a dear friend with some news about his life that has made me feel sad and has caused some pain tonight. Being someone whom I care about deeply, this email has jared and shaken me up a bit. It made me think how, when we experience change, or personal pain, in one form or another, it can be difficult to keep a sense of balance and keep our place inside of the world. Writing this post on the 30th of August is strange and a reminder of how fragile life can be. It was a day when my daughter became ill last year, and acts as a trigger of all the memories of the pain and difficulties that one can feel when a life is uprooted, or the foundation cracks. The building still stands, but is not stable, and can at times be shaky with some lose parts. How we must care for, nuture and be there for our friends, no matter what to help that foundation be rebulit if necessary.
Accrording to Marjorie Holmes, the person who treasures his/her friends is usually solid gold to himself/herself. The best way we can climb mountains and achieve the greatest of all goals, it to be there for our friends. We carry on our own values and dreams, as we stay connected to our loving, caring friends.
My sincere hope is that my friend will regain his strength and balance. That his foundation will stay together and remain or become strong. That my daughter continues to be strong and stay well too.
Tell me about a special friend in your life, and what makes him/her so special. How do you stay strong for that person in difficult times, and let him/her know that you are there always?
My posts and comments may be hit or miss over this week due to a heavy work load. I'll check in as often as I am able. Be well and take good care.
Thank you for your minds.
12 Comments:
I'm glad you had a great day!!
Sorry about such bad news....Hopefully your Daughter and Friend....will see better days...as they go on their journey!!....Sending only the best to both of them.
My one and only trip to Disneyland was in the month of February and the park was practically deserted. It was just my friend and I and we had a blast.
Best regards to your friend. Ongoing prayers for your daughter's health.
I met my brother (Ramiro) when he was 16. We weren't related then. He came over from Venezuela o go to college. I happened to have a friend at the same school. They ended up being roomates. At Christmas, Ramiro didn't have anywhere to go. Mudslides in Venezuela had closed the airports. My parents are known to take in strays. I called home and he spent the month sleeping in my room, which I thought was ood, as my parents had a strict policy against boys and girls sleeping in the same room. Years later my dad said, "When I saw the two fo you together, I knew there was nothing romantic between you. You two acted like brother and sister from the day you met."
Nine years have passed. There have been Visa problems, wok issues, college issues, family problems, and some more serious events. Through it all, we were just there. We could count on each oher and we NEVER had to ask for help. It just appeared. Our bond is strong because his family is away and my sister is so ill. We've taken over the sibling roles with each other, and God, it's been so hard at times. He may be the best friend I will ever have.
Friends can indeed share a special place inside of our lives and hearts. Personally, I love to hear stories about these unique bonds.
I am working today since very early in the morning. I have a deadline to complete, but find that by immersing myself into this work, I am able to escape some of the pain I feel when thinking about my friend. If a friend is truly special, when they hurt, we hurt too.
Blessings to everyone.
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Barbara, glad you had a good time at Disneyland, I have been to Disney in Florida not California,, was a regular at the House of Blues there each time I went,, loved it.
Sorry for your friend, lots of love and light to them.
Today, I feel semi Friendless, all my close friends have moved elsewhere, except Frank. Frank is 73 years old and has known me since I met him through my first lover when I was 19 or 20 years old. Joe introduced us at TAGS a gay bar where he always played in a pool tourny each week. I would play too, but loved talking to Frank more. He is a professor of history at the Catholic college near where I grew up, Belmont Abbey, a real cool place plunked down here in the south. We would talk about ancient Greece and Rome, and he would tell me all about his world travels. After 9 years Joe and I broke up and I lost contact with Frank, and when I was with #3 we hooked back up. We resumed were we left off like no time had past, During #3 Frank and I started traveling together internationally. I had decided already that I had enough of #3, but the details took a long long time to iron out. Frank was there for me during that really hard time. He was there in Rome when I met Giovanni, and held me tight while I cried my soul to pieces when he left. He doesn't really care for Gio today, even though he knows I could forgive all, he saw how much pain I went through and is protective of me. He almost died once with a ruptured appendix and I lived at the hospital and his house taking care of Sybil his cat during this time. After that we were sealed as brothers, our love is so deep and sure. I am lucky to have such a friend, we disagree on alot, but know how to avoid fights with each other by allowing each of us to be who we are unconditionally. He will just sit and listen when I moan and cry about Giovanni, not saying a word ,, because he disagrees with me about Gio, but never does he stop me from gushing my heart out to him. I am bare to him, naked as the day I was born, no one has seen me like Frank,,, the brother I never had.
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I first went to Disneyland exactly 41 years ago yesterday. I took dddragon there for her fifth birthday. Just the two of us. She has become a friend since then.
Friends: Well, there are so many levels of frienship, aren't there? I have some 'friends' who I know only through blogging. But one of those 'friends' has become a real-life best friend and we now get together at least once a week and talk on the phone as much as we can spare time for.
My bestest-of-all friends is an easy-going mexican-american with a huge extended family that has embraced me, too. We don't talk every day, but if one of us needs the other one, we are there on their doorstep in a heartbeat. I would drop anything to help her, and she would do the same for me. I can call her at 2 in the morning, and she will talk to me. She can drop in unexpectedly and she doesn't care how messy my home is. Now THAT is true friendship.
Being able to hold a friend close to you when he/she is hurting is such a great gift. Still feeling a bit off balance today and sad about my friend, I will send virtual hugs instead.
Still, the news has kept me off balance most of the day. The good news is that I am almost finished with my brief.
Tan Lucy, how cool is that that I went to Disneyland on dddragon's birthday, and the 41st anniversary since you took her there! A great uniting force.
Yes, best wishes to your friend and daughter.
Friends - including family friends - the best thing in life.
BB & CC,
I love both of your stories!
BB it is rare indeed to find a man who is a true friend who does not want you sexually in some way or another. Being a bit older, I can tell you that such men do exist, and they are a true gift as friends. The man I write about in my post is a very dear friend of mine, with a beautiful mind and spirit. Come to think of it, I do not think we have ever directly had a sexual conversation directly, although I would be dishonest if I did not say that there has been some chemistry there.
CC, your story made me cry. How beautiful to have such a friend to support when everyone else was basically turning their back against her. Standing up for those who are shunned and disadvantaged in society, only makes us stronger people. You deserve great praise for such a beautiful, kind act.
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