Walking With A Friend

Don't walk in front of me, I may not follow.

Don't walk behind me, I may not lead.

Just walk beside me and be my friend forever.

~unknown

I was thinking of the parable of the steps in the sand of a man and God. The man looks back and sees that part of the time there was only one pair of footprints. He asks God "What happened. Why did you leave me?" And God replies "I didn't leave you then. Those are my footprints. I was carrying you."

Friends are like that too. Sometimes they are walking beside us, sharing our adventures. Sometimes they walk ahead of us to show the way. Sometimes they walk behind us, pushing us to go forward with our lives. But sometimes they are that one set of footprints, carrying us when we have fallen and can't go on.

I was pretty depressed in the past week. Things seemed pretty bleak and I felt all alone. That's when my friends stepped in. Friend, after friend sat and talked to me. Friends, who I thought were just casual acquaintances, spent time with me and tried to help me through my depression.

These people surprised me. They made me feel better. They didn't give up on me. They stood by me and kept me from falling. I had a friend once who changed drastically, pushing me away, pushing other friends away. Hurting herself more and more. It hurt me to watch and finally I walked away. I felt bad about that, but I got tired of her abuse.

Friends are good to have. I am glad for the friends I have now and I don't want to lose another.

"When you ask God for a gift,

Be thankful if he sends,

Not diamonds, pearls or riches,

but the love of real true friends."

~Helen Steiner Rice