BEST FRIENDS
The search we all have. The hunger for that special someone that will look into our eyes, ask questions, and send a text which just connects us together. ‘Lets have coffee’ ‘This a photo I took yesterday when we arrived at New Delhi’ ‘How are you doing this morning?’ Simple things. Daily events that strongly indicate relationship.
We all yearn for it, most of the time not concentrating on a communique that indicates friendship.
There are not a lot of people in our lives that connect that way, usually only one that responds or reaches out to us. Many disappointments along the way, the rejection of a simple offer to talk and be available.
Gator has had several ‘best friends’ in his life. A few of who were, and have had the annoying habit of dying when Gator needs a best friend desperately. Gator cannot create a best friend but he can try to reach out to a good friend. After all, one is the best and as the old Sears and Roebuck catalog rated things; Good-Better-Best is the standard. A best friend is concerned, available immediately often when you don’t even ask them to be by your side.
Gator has tried recently to acquire a best friend by doing the obvious things, but things that one does to a best friend you already have. Gifts given in hope, received casually and sometimes with puzzlement. “I was just thinking of you today” True statement. Not the hope the person will reciprocate with a gift. Not with any thought of cultivation, just a good thing to do which can develop into something deeper is not the operative. Just a good thing to do. Love your neighbor as yourself.
But the signs of that best friend can occur, not common, again not expected. Perhaps that invite a week later for that coffee at the shop of good taste. Natural events that resonate within us. A growing desire that ripples the stream of consciousness. It overcomes the rocks and hard paths of a canoe shooting the rapids. Surprise for them both that a love of friendship is blossoming and a “Lets meet again, I feel you understand me!” It was good and those intimidating rapids are gone and the trip of moving downstream is right and easier to see.
Often, but not always, a shared interest can lead to close friendship. Subtle at times the interest can occur to be mutual. “yeah, you did mention an interest in very old musical instruments! How about we take a road trip to Philadelphia to hear the Wanamaker pipe organ!” Easier done if relatives or other friends can be visited on the way. Day trips to hiking trails, collector car shows, old military fly-ins. Perhaps an auction with special guns or collectible German figurines. It happens more often than not that these connections are made.
A real test of this friendship is conflict. Not if, when. Something said, something old, something new.
something unpleasant that is said about you.
How you and I deal with this forthrightly, honestly and above all, with forgiveness just waiting in the wings. Eager to come out to the play of life, beckoned by words, gestures of a short lifting of the face and a smile. The beauty of the breath of love appears and the audience, filled with joy and pleasure, breathes that breath upon us.
A treasure that is priceless and without a sales slip. The cost of the treasure cannot be calculated. You know the cost is only given freely. The cost is indeed all you have and when you look up, it is given back. Often twofold.
It’s pretty good. Jack Gator
Jack gators grace notes 