ALL WE NEED IS LOVE

From time to time I am able to sweet talk someone into submitting something for this blog. With very little arm twisting, a friend from my high school days shared some of her poetry with me. We are approaching a 60th class reunion, and some of us have reconnected after all these years. As we share our stories, we gain a renewed understanding of our friends from long ago. This is revealing of my friend's warm and loving personality. I am happy to have her as a friend.

The Art of Friendship

Martha Northington, 2002

"Friendship is human creativity: a dance, a painting, a violin concerto, a poem.

It must be practiced again and again, and it reveals new meanings with each performance.

The finding and holding of friends is a courtship of eyes and voices; of ideas and commonalities; of listening and understanding; and of both giving and receiving.

It is the gift of laughter and joy without derision or shaming. Honesty must have a place in the courtship--a compassionate honesty without hurt or annihilation.

A strong friend offers safety and trust, a place to flourish and to rest. The friend waits until the other gains strength to continue.

The nurturing of friendship allows no interruptions and is sustained by the sharing of happy events and private sorrows. The human spirit soars when good friends accompany and falls from the heights if left alone for too long.

Friends reach out to one another and give freely of themselves from their minds and hearts. 

Good friends become artists of life."

(...at any age)

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If any of you watched television yesterday you may have heard it was 50 years ago that the Beatles introduced their song, All You Need is Love. We need this more today than we did 50 years ago. Friendship, love, and beautiful music will help heal our world. Don't you think so?

Until next time, may you have all the love you need,

Marilyn