Old friends...

There is something precious and healing about hearing from old friends, especially when you are going through a difficult period in your life. I had emailed my friend Cristine today and got a response more quickly than I expected. It was a lovely chatty note catching me up on her and her family; her daughter's marriage and their vacation in Mexico.

I have also been in touch with another friend Nagwan who was in several of my undergraduate classes. She came to Canada from Yemen and because of her hard work and dedication has managed to find employment after graduating. Like so many immigrants to Canada she will enrich us all by her presence.

Last week I had a long conversation with my friend Helen who lives outside Victoria on Vancouver Island. Helen and I have been through difficult times together, something that creates a bond that can never be broken when people really care about one another.

On the day of my biggest crisis my friend Jane took me in, and then with our mutual friend Anne, helped me to get out of Calgary.

Now it may seem at first glance that all of my friends are of the female persuasion but that is not true. My friend Mike (and his wife Ann) have consoled me and helped me to heal over the past couple of months and I will always be grateful for their love and kindness. Then there is my friend Lee who has been through so much with me.

When I reflect on this I realize that other than immediate family, the most precious thing in life is friendship. Not the casual acquaintance of someone you bump into from time to time, but the deep and abiding relationship that sustains you when you need it most. Your real friends are the ones who are there when you have the least to give in return and need the most from them.