A new friend

Today I made a new friend. Philip is a busy single, successful guy. He walked into my office this morning looking for light banter. We clumsily stumbled into a bit more than we expected. Friendly passerby greetings marked our relationship at the casual acquaintance level before today. Today something changed. I listened.

I listened as Philip discussed a few heady topics: Divorce, aloneness, coping, loss, and yearning for friendship. I peppered his sharing with a few of my own experiences and insights, as he seemed to relax a bit in the chair. We experienced agreement, shared longings, and exchanged tentative smiles. He almost subconsciously mutters, "I never get to talk with anyone about this stuff."

Relationship level when our talk was concluded? Casual Acquaintance still, but with an open door to the slow steady steps towards a friendship that might be just hearty enough to survive outside of work.

Healthy friendships are the answers to so many questions in this life. Nothing yields a comparable long-term fulfillment. Unfortunately our society doesn't give us building blocks or good instructions. Though a few are lucky, most healthy friendships are only obtained by true seekers.