sacred friendship......

Adapted from varied sources by Alicia Forde, Intern Minister

“All of us have special ones
who have loved us into being.
would you just take, along with me,
ten seconds to think of the people
who have helped you become
who you are…
ten seconds of silence….”∥

//

Those people, the ones who
came into your hearts —
are your sacred friends…

//

The earth…this truly
small and blue and beautiful earth
is woven together by relationships…
relationships that include
profound and sacred friendships
friendships built on the diligent practice of
Kindness,
Listening,
Nurturing…
Friendships with boundless benefits like the:
intimate sharing of ideas and ideals
unwavering support that is both
honest and hopeful
mutual admiration and faithfulness.
Sacred friends draw out
the best that is in us
They are witnesses to our
self-discoveries
and spiritual unfolding.∥

Recently with sadness in my heart,
I called such a friend…
~ She and I have been through a tremendous amount
of life’s joys & chaos together ~
She listened, she laughed,
She offered to be sad also…
She sat herself down in the little time we had
amongst the pieces of my broken heart
gathered them up with tenderness
and gave them back to me
all in the right order….

We all have friends like that

People who through those terrible,
wonderful passages in life
stand up, stand by you, stand with you.
real friends, sacred friends,
who come to you,
call you, send a card,
send word, wait with you and
wait for you while you heal.∥
People who sit down in the midst of our
broken selves,
gather up our pieces and
hand them back to us
all in the right order
again & again.

Friends who see right through to the very
core of our being and
with gentleness, respect and love
walk with us as we become…

//


Each friendship can be
a world —
a special sphere of certain emotions,
experiences, memories, and qualities of
personality…∥

Imagine yourself and your most
intimate friend in a deep conversation,
feeling one another’s feelings
while talking soul talk.
Effortlessly your speech turns to music:
Two braided instruments,
a clarinet and a cello,
or a French horn and trombone,
or two alto flutes,
or a soprano saxophone and an electric bass.
What would that sound be?∥

//

Let us pause to remember & celebrate our sacred friends
The ones who’ve gathered us
Who’ve helped us become
Who’ve made with us soul music & meaningful silence…

//

“Happy the one [who] has a friend formed by the wonder and sacredness of nature”∥

May your friendships be sacred.
♦

∥ Mr. Rogers, 1998
∥ Adapted from Spiritual Literacy, 402
∥ Rev. Kim Crawford Harvie, Sacred Friendship, April 2, 2000.
∥ Spiritual Literacy, 456 quoting Thomas Moore, Soul Mates.
∥ Spiritual Literary, 456 quoting W.A. Mathieu, The Musical Life
∥ Friendship from the Wyeth Repository of Sacred Music.
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