Of friends, and enemies

     There are many times in a man's life, when he must go through something that he would rather not go through. These times are as inevitable as death. Although these times may be very painful for various reasons, they must be met, and a man must endure. This is part of a man's journey to whatever end he may seek. This, is growth.

     A man's journey to his heart's desire, filled with many pitfalls and rough roads, can be a relatively easy journey if he remains focused on his destination, keeping his eyes on the road. It is when he starts to look around at the scenery to the side of his chosen path that he begins to stumble and fall. These are the times when a man will truely discover who his friends are, and also, will discover his enemies.

     True friends, are those people who see the man looking to the side, and try to re-focus his eyes and mind on his chosen destination. True friends are those who, having failed at this, let the man fall as he stumbles off into the rough. True friends are those who, seeing he has fallen, move from their path, setting their own needs aside. They go to his side, help him to stand and lead him back to his path. They hand him back the valued possessions he dropped when he fell, and remind him of his destination. These are his friends.

     A man's enemies, perhaps once thought of as his friends, will watch greedily as he walks from the road, awaiting his fall, knowing it is inevitable, and say little or nothing to warn him. As they see him stumble, a gleam enters their eyes as his purse is thrown from his belt into the darkness. They take advantage of the man's sudden blindness, and rush to his purse, snatching it up and running away with his treasure, with no second thought for the man lying at the side of the road in the blackness. These are, truely, not a man's friends.

     A man is very fortunate, to have his friends, and to be back on his journey, with his treasure safe. A man is thankful for his friends.

I wish you well.