We All Want A Friend

I love a good story.  Here is one for you that I read and enjoyed immensely.

There was a time when Whitney didn't have a lot of friends. She was a bit shy and reserved. She never really wanted to be popular, but she did want to have someone to share secrets and laughs with. All through high school, though, she just slipped in and out of "light" friendships where she didn't find a lot of comfort or companionship.

When it came time to go to college, Whitney was quite nervous. She was going to be rooming with someone she didn't know and living in a town 300 miles away from home. There wouldn't be a single person she knew in town. She had no idea how she was going to make friends in this new environment. The first week of classes, something happened that changed Whitney's life forever. In her English Composition class, she was asked (as were all the students) to share a little about herself. She told everyone where she called home and all of the other ordinary details that students share in such situations. The final question for each student was always the same: "What is your goal for this class?" Now, most of the students said it was to get a good grade, pass the class or something similar, but for some reason, Whitney said something entirely different. She said that her goal was to make just one good friend.  While most of the students sat in silence, one student came to Whitney and held out his hand and introduced himself. He asked if she would be his friend. The whole room was silent – all eyes focused on the Whitney and the hand extended just in front of her. She smiled and stretched her hand out to take his and a friendship was formed. It was a friendship that lasted all through college.

Everyone wants to feel needed.  Several years ago, I was leading a group of young men at church.  After church, on Sunday afternoon, I would take two boys to visit a few elderly people.  One visit was to a ninety-two year old woman.  She was very friendly but old and fragile.  She didn't remember who we were until we had been there a few minutes and then her mind would spin into action and she remembered precisely who we were.  One Sunday afternoon, we stopped by for our visit and her seventy year old daughter answered the door.  She invited us in.  I said hello to this elderly friend of ours.  She sat silent and starred at me.  "You are the most handsome man I have ever seen," she said.  I didn't know who she was talking about but I took what she said as a compliment.  I walked over and sat next to her on the old couch.  I reached over and held her hand.  When I looked at her face she smiled and gently squeezed my hand.

Each one of us longs for someone to love and care about us.  We can brighten someone else's day by acts that we consider simple.  Let's be that friend.
I want to try something a little different beginning on Monday.  I hope that all next week the blog will be devoted to uplifting personal stories from the readership of this blog.  Will you please send me your own personal stories about friendship and the impact a good friend has had in your life? I would like to hear from some of you all next week.  Email those to dfish0223@yahoo.com.