On Friendship

In the final analysis, a friend is someone who cares about you and with you for no benefit to themselves. Out of a place of love they stick with you because they feel a duty to do so without any expected reward or reason.

Friendship evolves from letting go. I cannot be a true friend before I learn to let go past hurts and expectations. I can be betrayed and still love. I can be ignored and still work at it. I can be forgiving and forgetful of old wounds. The essence of friendship lies not in the mutuality but in the humanity. It arises from the love for another’s wellbeing and spirit despite their use-value or their confidence in you.

On the converse side of this is the fact that a friend cannot be forced. Your love is given freely but must also be taken freely. If your love is not received with grace and friendship in turn it is not an insult to you, or an attack on your ego. It is simply a fact of life. Move on. Let go. But always keep your heart open. For without the ability to have an open heart you cannot make a safe place for the heart of another to be open to you.