Five Minute Friday: Friend -

From Lisa-Jo Baker, the Gypsy Mama: "On Fridays around these parts we like to write. Not for comments or traffic or anyone else's agenda. But for fun, for practice, for joy at the sound of syllables, sentences and paragraphs all strung together by the voice of the speaker. We love to just write without worrying if it's just right or not. For five minutes flat."

Today's prompt: Friend:

~ Go ~

"Kindred spirits are not so scarce as I used to think. 

It's splendid to find out there are so many of them in the world." ~ Anne of Green Gables

Photo taken - Feb 27, 2014

Dear Friend ....

Lately I haven't known how to talk to you. 
Perhaps it's because I haven't known how to talk to myself either. I feel like I'm drowning in a million words. 

It's so easy for me to write you a quick message about the latest song I love, or the cutest thing someone's baby did, or how much photography drives me downright insane sometimes .... and it's so easy to enter into your lives, and I love doing so - thank you for letting me in so willingly. 

You are my cheerleaders and the uplifters of my heart. You make me laugh on the days I'm sure I'll never laugh again, and you listen to me while I rant about the 90th thing that ticked me off that day. 

I've been there with you through births, surgeries, graduations, emergencies, unknowns, sorrows, joys, weddings, the ending of the space shuttle era, loss of jobs, the scary world of cancer and the splendid delightful business of finding your heart's true love.

I've walked steep hills with you, hiking for fun, crossing rivers dangerously, trespassing lightly,
and treading water we definitely shouldn't have been in, both literally and figuratively. Haha. 

I've gone running beside you, groaning and whining and laughing at our crazy hair.
I've watched you dance at your weddings, and rushed around like crazy with you to get the right shots. 

I've walked beaches with you, and I've sought the comfort of the quiet when you couldn't come, and prayed for you there. 

I stayed up with you long-long nights when the bad news kept rolling in and we couldn't bear to sleep. 

I held your hand when there was nothing to say, I pressed your head against my shoulder to weep together. 

I brought you flowers and chocolates because I couldn't bear to show up on a sad day with nothing. 

I prayed for you in the dead of night and begged God on your behalf.
 I stood in the snow, in the pine needles, in the wildflowers, in the rain, in the church, in the wind,
I stood with you as your love was buried deep below. 

I've sobbed in your arms and probably been very angry in your presence once or twice. 

I wrote you long extensive e-mails and burst into tears over "nothing" in your kitchen. 

I've longed for the best for you, been silent when there were no words to touch that grief. 

I've pressed your hand in mine when that verse hits us in the hymn the same way, and no words are needed. 

I've held your babies in my arms and cried, I've watched them grow and learn and thrive. 

I've watered your gardens, cleaned your kitchens, washed your dishes, done your laundry and .... 

you've all repaid me millions of times over with your love. 

I've listened to late night conversations and you've born with me through mine. 

You've showed up unexpectedly when I had nothing to give, and no one to be, and you were there for me. 

You've answered the phone for the millionth time and listened to me pour my heartaches out.
You've helped me on projects, encouraged me, told me I could do it, and were my sanity through the crazy.  

You've fed me, prayed for me, encouraged me, forgiven me, given grace to me, and loved me.
You've dragged me out to do things and talk when I thought no one would understand, and you did.
You've brought me deeper, higher; you've been restless with the known, and pulled me closer to the deep.  

Many days you were the only thing keeping my head above water. 

You've spoken LIFE and TRUTH to me. You told me I am not alone in this. You lead me onward. 

Every day I was with you, in joy or in sorrow, working or still, sick or well, angry or upset .... 

I was never thinking of me. I was praying for you, when I was quiet. I was singing hymns to calm us down. I was crying with you, hurting for you, weeping for us. I was screaming with joy and dancing in glee, and jumping up and down with happiness. I was hugging my love into you.

And I was thanking God with all my heart for giving you to me as my friend. 

~ Stop ~ 

I love you, my friends. This is just the tip of the iceburg of you - you unforgettable and wonderful you. 

Always,

~ Jean Marie ~