Dear Ones,
A dear friend of mine approached me yesterday and made some comments about friendship. I thought it would be a lovely theme for a Friday meeting, don’t you think so?
How do we form friendships and for what purpose?
I’m sure many people–including myself–do not think about this question. Friendships happen, some last a long time and some don’t.
We may think that it’s harder to form friendships later in life and that may be true. Yet when the Divine enters the picture, it can be astonishing.
In August, in the middle of our month-long stay in a hotel, we (our son and I) met a man from the Amish country and his son. His was visiting for business and his son tagged along. It so happened that his son and ours were the same age and they played together in the pool. I then brought a chair next to his and we started a lovely, friendly journey. Before we parted that evening, we prayed together by the pool, holding each other at shoulder level, to find a home for our family.
He invited us for dinner at his home and, as synchronicity would have it, we had planned a trip to Pennsylvania the following weekend. We visited him and his family and had a delightful time, getting to know his wife (originally from the Netherlands) and his three other kids. Interestingly, we exchanged food in the process. We brought four jars of French marmalade, one for each of their children; and took home a jar of home-made pickles. After dinner, we sat for a long time by the fire while the kids ran in and around the corn patch and the open space.
It was–and still is–a beautiful adventure into a new friendship and I am not sure how it happened. Grace was obviously an important element.
There is a saying in French that, in order for friendships to build, there needs to be what we call “hooked atoms” (atomes crochus); which would form a shape similar to the Yin and Yang. It is a concept close to what we call “chemistry” in English. Good, or right chemistry.
Perhaps chemistry and atoms play a part in who we meet and connect with. At times, I am not sure it does as things ‘simply’ happen.
What is your take on friendship?
Link to Facebook invitation:
Nurturing the Gift of Seeking 