What is a
Friend?
Friend?
What is a friend? I will tell you. It is a
person with whom you dare to be yourself.
Your soul can be naked with him. He
seems to ask of you to put on nothing, only
to be what you are. He does not want you
to be better or worse. When you
are with him, you feel as a prisoner feels
who has been declared innocent. You do
not have to be on your guard. You
can say what you think, so long as it is
genuinely you. He understands
those contradictions in your nature that
lead others to misjudge you. With him
you breathe freely. You can avow
your little vanities and envies and hates
and vicious sparks, your meannesses and
absurdities and, in opening them up to
him, they are lost, dissolved on the white
ocean of his loyalty. He understands.
You do not have to be careful. You can
abuse him, neglect him, tolerate him. Best
of all, you can keep still with him. It
makes no matter. He likes you. He is like
fire that purges to the bone. He under-
stands. He understands. You can weep
with him, sing with him, laugh with him,
pray with him. Through it all - and
underneath - he sees, knows and loves you.
A friend? What is a friend? Just one, I
repeat, with whom you dare to be yourself.
