Presence feeds friendship. Sure, presents do, too...but I'm talking about the "be with" factor of friendship.
There is something powerful about someone who will simply be with you. When you're walking through the fire of life, you look over and notice your friend...just there. When you are celebrating a life milestone...there they are. Sure, there are times for words. But there are also times when simply being present is the greatest gift ever.
I've experienced this from time to time. When my son was taken by ambulance after a bike accident - I got the call at work and raced to the hospital to find my friends were there first. As the evening progressed, a few other friends also come...just to be.
Why is presence so important to friendship? Probably because it reminds us that we're not alone. It may seem like a "duh" statement - but presence is counter-intuitive to most of us. We want something to do, to say...we are uncomfortable just being present. Why? Because it reminds us that we can't fix all the problems in the world - it reminds us that we have limits.
When words fall short. When there aren't actions that can reverse the trend. When there isn't a gift to cover the problem. Then there is presence.
Who has been someone who was simply present with you when you needed to not be alone? And for whom have you simply been present?
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