Christopher Robin had a question to ask, and he was wondering how to ask it.
"Well," he said at last, "It's a very nice house and if your own house is blown down, you must go somewhere else, musn't you, Piglet?"
"What would you do if your house was blown down?"
Before Piglet could anything, Pooh answered for him.
"He'd come and live with me," said Pooh, "wouldn't you?"
Piglet squeezed his paw.
"Thank you Pooh," he said, "I should love to."
Anyone who has ever had a friendship like Pooh and Piglet knows how very blessed they are. This type of friendship is a rare treasure, often a treasure never discovered by many people and depends on trust, respect, and compassion.
I have been fortunate in my adult life to actually have experienced the kind of friendship that Pooh and Piglet exhibit through the words above. My oldest best friend and I met in 1984 in southern California when both our husband's were stationed at Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base. Sherri and I worked at a bank together and both our husband's were Marines. Sherri's husband was an OV-10 Recon pilot who was killed in a flight training accident a few years after we met. I was there the day the chaplain brought word to the bank that Darryl had been killed hours earlier. I was there with Sherri through funeral services and the life she strove to put back together afterwards. I was there when she learned she had cancer and subsequent surgery that prevented her from ever having children. I was there giving my honest thoughts when she met new guys I felt didn't deserve the woman she was. I was there sitting on the floor with her seven or so years after Darryl's death and helping her go through boxes of his belongings that she was finally ready to let go of.
Sherri was there for me when I had marital problems and she never questioned or judged me or my husband. Her doors were always open to both of us. Sherri was there for me when I needed someone to just listen and never try to help fix anything. Sherri was always ready to take in a movie, take a walk or bike ride, go to the beach or whatever was needed for each of us to make it through difficult days. It didn't matter how much dust was on her book shelves, she was always ready to be a friend to spend time together and provide support. Her strength after the death of her husband and surviving cancer always inspired me. Her gentle spirit, openess, compassion, and devotion as a friend who never spoke ill or judged anyone always makes Sherri a treasure to anyone she encounters. She has been my greatest supporter and cheerleader encouraging my writing and story telling.
The irony in our friendship is that we are polar oppoisites in so many ways, but the best of each of us helps the other in trying times and we learn from each other. We can discuss issues with differences and be honest, but never hurt or offended. I could go on and on about my special friendship with this angel God placed in my life over 20 years ago. But I think you get the message. And, by the way, Sherri met her new soul mate and remarried over ten years ago.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 says: "Two people are better than one, because they get more done by working together. If one falls down, the other can help them up.."
I believe this kind of friendship comes through connections that our Creator brings to our paths when were are first true friends with our Creator. Yes, we are his children, but I believe we can also call our Creator, Friend, because we're never alone and when we open our hearts to seek guidance, peace, and joy we are never failed. I know this for a fact, because I have lived my darkest hours struggling with the death of a child during war and how to keep my grieving husband steady. And those who have suffered and endured holocaust camps and prisoner of war camps have the testimonies to prove so.
In my 55 years I have come to truly realize a defining difference between the word Friend and the word Acquaintance and how maybe the word "Friend", as the word "Love", should never be used lightly.
I have tons of acquaintances, but only a few I can sincerely call FRIEND, and these are golden egss in my life. The best of the golden eggs is to be true friends with our Creator, not simply acquainted. Through this true Friendship, one is never afraid to knock on the Creator's door, to be angry with the Creator, to ask the Creator for forgiveness of shortcomings, and guidance to move forward, because this Friend will always lead in the best, right direction if one is willing to hold tight to the only prayer I personally ever need: "Our Father (my Friend), who art in heaven......Thy will be done.... and provide me the strength and courage to live in your will."
We've all heard the saying:"To have a friend, we must be a friend." I thank the Creator today for the old friends and new friends that have been placed in my life. There is also a saying: "Friends are the angels who lift us on their wings, when our own wings are broken."
I know that Winnie the Pooh and Piglet are examples of the kind of friend I want to be and that I want to have surrounding me.
I hope the same for all my readers, and ask at this moment that each of you are blessed tremendously with all the love and friendship you can handle, if only from one sincere person.
Hugs! Deb
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