This week I’ve spent several days with a dear and trusted friend. We’ve shared many years of life together. Though we’ve never lived close, we have always communicated on a regular basis.
After several days in her company talking, laughing (which I don’t seem to do enough of), and problem solving for the globe, I feel good…steady…and refreshed. I am reminded of these poetic words from Diane Craik when I am with her…
…oh, the comfort, the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person, having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but pouring them all out, just as they are, chaff and grain together, certain that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and with a breath of kindness blow the rest away.
You might imagine as friends that we are alike in many ways, but ironically we share few things in common. She is a public communicator, university chaplain, outstanding traveler, a ferocious networker, and a tireless worker that doesn’t like to say ‘no.’
I, on the other hand, have pretty much stayed in the US most of my life. I have led small groups, but I’m not big on the ‘public’ speaking gig. Networking, the process or practice of building up or maintaining informal relationships, has never been easy for me. She does it with natural ease. And last but not least, I don’t have any problems with saying ‘no’…I’m raising teenagers girls for goodness sake!!
I’ve lived in places where I’ve known no one AND places where I was known to all. I’ll take a friend who neither weighs or measures my words, but with a faithful hand keeps what is worth keeping, and blows the rest away…any day!!
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