Afternoon delight …

Your friend is your needs answered.
He is your field which you sow with love and reap with thanksgiving.
And he is your board and your fireside.
For you come to him with your hunger, and you seek him for peace.

Kahlil Gibran – The Prophet

You want to have lunch with me?

Those seven magical words were the beginning of the end of the recent depression that had me in its grip this week.  There’s nothing like sharing the depths of your soul with a friend to cure what ails you.

Just being in their company is enough to make you smile.  Time stands still as it flies by.

There’s the foreplay of awkwardness as you tip toe through the small talk before getting to the heart of the real conversation.

When your friend speaks his mind you fear not the “nay” in your own mind, nor do you withhold the “ay.”
And when he is silent your heart ceases not to listen to his heart;

There’s the buildup of tension as you caress the thoughts in your mind, wondering if it’s safe to surrender them.

It’s followed by a sweet release of all the cares and worries in the world as you spill your feelings into a heart so receptive you have no choice but to cross over into the point of no return.

And when it’s over, the peace that floods over you is better than well … most things.

For without words, in friendship, all thoughts, all desires, all expectations are born and shared, with joy that is unacclaimed.

Then, before you know it, it’s time to leave the cocoon of safety and return to reality.  Sad as that may seem, the moments shared will sustain you until your next encounter.

When you part from your friend, you grieve not;
For that which you love most in him may be clearer in his absence, as the mountain to the climber is clearer from the plain.

Nonetheless, you count the hours until next time, comforted by a memory so strong, you feel your friend’s presence even when they’re miles away.

What is your friend that you should seek him with hours to kill? Seek him always with hours to live.

And so, my friend, when do you want to have lunch again?

Author: Barb Besteni

I've been in a writer long enough to know that change is not only inevitable, it's what keeps us going. Don't fight it, don't fear it. Embrace it and have fun. View all posts by Barb Besteni