Sunday, September 12, 2010

Friends of the Heart

I have always been blessed with great friends - at all points in my life. Many of these friends have moved on as we have taken different routes in life. But the beauty of many of these friendships for me has been in the numerous ways that these friends have touched and continue to touch my life. Its sometimes just a phone call, sometimes just a mail, sometimes a recommendation for my work without my asking for it .... and mostly done in a discreet, no-fuss, no-big-deal manner.

I remember reading a long time ago, that in life we come across two kinds of friends. One: "The Friends of the Road" - the people you meet everyday, work with every day, and when the time comes - with each taking their own way. The second type being, "The Friends of the Heart" - the people you meet everyday, work with every day, and when the time comes - each taking their own way too - but the difference being that they continue to stay in our hearts and lives in a way that always brings a smile to us. In a way that the heart knows that even though we are not in regular touch, we still matter to each other in some deep way.

So when i cam across this article about "Friends vs Acquaintances", its something I thought I should share with all my friends in this blog. May all of us know and be these kinds of friends.... The Friends of the Heart.

There is a difference between being an acquiantance and being a friend.

First, an acquaintance is someone whose name you know,
whom you see every now and then,
with whom you probably have something in common,
and around whom you feel comfortable.

It's a person that you can invite to your home
and share things with.
But they are people with whom you wouldn't
share your life, whose actions sometimes
you don't understand because you don't know enough about them...

On the other hand, a friend is someone you love.
Not that you are "in love" with him or her,
but you care about the person, and you
think about him or her when they are not there.

Friends are the people of whom you are reminded
when you see something they might like,
and you know this because you know them so well.
They are the people whose pictures you have
and whose faces are in your head regardless.

They are the people you see in your mind when
you hear a song on the radio because they
made you go up to the person they like and ask
them to dance with them; or maybe YOU danced
with them, maybe they stepped on your toes,
or just put their head on your shoulder.

They are the people around whom you feel safe
because you know they care about you.
They call just to see how you are doing,
because friends don't need an excuse.

They tell you the truth--the first time--
and you do the same.
You know that if you have a problem, they are
there to listen.

They are the people who won't laugh at you
or hurt you, and if they do hurt you,
they try hard to make it up to you.
They are the people you love, regardless
of whether you realize it.

They are the people with whom you cried
when you got rejected from colleges
and during the last song at prom and
at graduation.

They are the people that when you hug them,
you don't think about how long to hug
and who's going to be the first one
to let go.

Maybe they are the people that hold the rings
at your wedding, or maybe they are
the people that give you away at your
wedding, or maybe they are the people you marry.

They are certainly the people that cry at
your wedding because they are happy,
or because they are proud, or because
they are so in love.

They are the people who stop you from
making mistakes and help you when you do.
They are the people whose hand you can hold,
or you can hug or give them a kiss
and not have it be awkward,
because they understand the things you
do and they love you for them.

They stick with you and stand by you.
They hold your hand.
They watch you live, and you watch them live,
and you learn from them.

Your life is not the same without them.
These are your friends.

How many do you have?

Thursday, September 02, 2010

The River Just Knows


Let me be a river,
....Constantly moving.
Charting a course,
....As I am going.

Gurgling along,
....Swirling Playing.
Not a moment,
....For dark stagnating.

Rushing & roaring,
....Swiftly streaming.
Taking along,
....Quietly dispersing.

Never stopping,
....Ever finding.
Paths meandering,
....Through whats obstructing.

Nourishing enriching,
....Lively refreshing.
Creating Inspiring,
....Deeply touching.

Sometimes ebbing.
....Sometimes flowing.
But in the journey,
....Always trusting.

Let me be a river,
....Constantly moving.
Charting a course,
....In the path I am taking.