May 10
18
The Gift of Friendship
I have a friend who has been in the hospital for more than a month. We met a few months ago and have become friends quickly. Several days a week, I travel to the hospital to visit. I’m not consistent about the time of day, so I have met many nurses who have cared for my friend.
During this time, there have been other friends I have visited in the hospital. I see family members with them and I see them alone. As I walk past the different rooms, I notice if a patient is there or not. I notice if the bed is made and waiting to help a new person or if it is messy from a patient leaving for a procedure and waiting for them to return for rest and more care.
As I have gone to the hospital frequently, I have learned some life lessons too. I have learned to smile and laugh amid adversity. I have learned that we can “find the silver lining” in the struggles of our life. I have learned that sleep can help you feel better. I have learned that friends make your burdens easier to bear.
Mostly, though, my experience has taught me, once again, the enormous value of friendship. It seems that there are people we are meant to have as our friends. Friendship connects us like families. We learn together. We grow together and we help each other. The other day, I shared with my friend who is sick how she has helped me. She was unaware of the strength and support I feel from visiting with her and her family.
Friends see the best in us. They help us with our struggles and trials. We help our friends through their struggles and trials. I like to think that a friend is our cheerleader: the person who constantly believes in us and that we can make it. And even when we fail, our friend helps us to succeed again with encouragement and love. A friend sees past the exterior and looks deep within our hearts and understands what we feel. A friend asks how he or she can help and doesn’t assume that they know what is best for us. A friend is a precious gift.
So, I watch my friend’s daughters as they stroke the hand of their mother, as they rub lotion on her arms and shoulders, and as they look at her with love. What an honor it is to share these moments, as well as the moments when she lights up as her husband enters the room. How grateful I am for this gift called friendship.
How will you strengthen a friend today?
