Some friends just touch your heart. In one short sentence you can share (and feel) all your pain, all your joy, all your worry and they get it. All the control we think we have, slips away and the feelings wash over you. Intense feelings, overwhelming feelings. They are a safe place to be, and a great place to be heard.
They can be a friend you talk to weekly, text with daily, visit regularly, they could be your spouse, your parent, your child. They can be someone you see, if you're lucky, only once or twice a year. I call them "heart of the matter friends". All other pretense is stripped away, and you get right to the heart of the matter.
It is my hope that I can be that friend to others. Even just one or two, would be enough to return the favor. Because we all need some balm for the soul. Someone who understands. Someone who celebrates our victories while we can only see our failures. They see the light, while we see the tunnel.
I have several friends like this. Call me blessed. One I barely know, but twice I've had a meltdown in her place of business. The first time it was rather embarrassing, as she was a complete stranger. Angels are only strangers until you meet them though. Today again I walked in, not knowing how much I needed her. She propped me up, fed me a cookie, gave me high fives for crossing big hurdles, understood me and sent me back into my life again.
There are times we need to get to the heart of the matter, and that's what friends are for.
