Friendship

And a youth said, Speak to us of Friendship.

And a young person said, Tell us about Friendship.

And he answered, saying:

And he answered:

Your friend is your needs answered.

Your friend is the answer to your needs.

He is your field which you sow with love and reap with thanksgiving.

He is your field, which you plant with love and harvest with gratitude.

And he is your board and your fireside.

And he is your table and your fireplace.

For you come to him with your hunger, and you seek him for peace.

For you come to him hungry, and you seek him for peace.

When your friend speaks his mind you fear not the “nay” in your own mind, nor do you withhold the “ay.”

When your friend speaks his mind, you do not fear the “no” in your own mind, nor do you hold back the “yes.”

And when he is silent your heart ceases not to listen to his heart;

And when he is silent, your heart keeps listening to his heart.

For without words, in friendship, all thoughts, all desires, all expectations are born and shared, with joy that is unacclaimed.

For in friendship, all thoughts, desires, and expectations are born and shared without words, with a joy that goes unspoken.

When you part from your friend, you grieve not;

When you leave your friend, you do not grieve.

For that which you love most in him may be clearer in his absence, as the mountain to the climber is clearer from the plain. And let there be no purpose in friendship save the deepening of the spirit.

For what you love most about him may be clearer when he is absent. Just as a climber sees a mountain more clearly from the plain. And let friendship have no purpose except to deepen the spirit.

For love that seeks aught but the disclosure of its own mystery is not love but a net cast forth: and only the unprofitable is caught.

For love that seeks anything but the revealing of its own mystery is not love, but a net cast out. And it catches only what is worthless.

And let your best be for your friend.

And give your best to your friend.

If he must know the ebb of your tide, let him know its flood also.

If he must know when your tide goes out, let him also know when it comes in.

For what is your friend that you should seek him with hours to kill?

For what is your friend, that you should seek him out to kill time?

Seek him always with hours to live.

Always seek him when you have hours to live.

For it is his to fill your need, but not your emptiness.

For he can meet your need, but not fill your emptiness.

And in the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter, and sharing of pleasures.

And in the sweetness of friendship, let there be laughter and shared pleasures.

For in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed.

For in the dew of small things, the heart finds its morning and is refreshed.