What Empowers You?

               Paseros: Marva & Margaret

Celebrations! I am committed to celebrating the bonds of friendship. I see this as my estate of great wealth. In particular, I believe that my circle of friends is that fertile womb of creativity and inspiration that has that capacity to propel me to realize my greatest dreams for they are caretakers along the march, allies and paseros who guide my steps as I search for healing and inspiration.  The words of R. Hall sum it up very effectively for me: A friend should be one in whose understanding and virtue we can equally confide, and in whose opinion we can value at once for its justness and sincerity.  Over the years I have discovered that the true value of friendship lies in the fact that a friend is both a supporter and a critic, one whose honest praise uplifts you and thoughtful criticism guides you to empowered action.

I was reminded of this today as I began pulling Christmas decorations from storage and came across a collection of cards yellowed by age. I rifled through the box with the intent of tossing those that were old and musty. For Sister and her Family. The bright red letters on soft yellow paper framed in green holly and red berries caught my eye.  I flipped the card open to see the flowery signature of my friend, Margaret with whom I have shared a life time of friendship since we were both ten years old. These simple words, to my sister and family summed up for me the essence of our friendship; the deep value of a relationship that expands into the realm of familial cords. As I rifled through the collection other cards beckoned to me. One hailed me as Soul Sister #1: a trusted accomplice…connoisseur of juicy tidbits; financial commiserator; supreme fashion visionary; Friend! Healer! Ally! I smiled, acknowledging the value of these simple words from treasured friends who have been and continue to be witnesses to my journey and I know that when our group, Circle of Friends International gathers together in celebration this December, I will be reminded of these simple words by Yeats:

Think where [wo]man’s glory most begins and ends, and say my glory was that I had such friends.

Pasero-Jamaican vernacular for friend.