On True Friendship

Oh, the comfort— 

the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person— 

having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, 

but pouring them all right out, 

just as they are, 

chaff and grain together; 

certain that a faithful hand will take and sift them, 

keep what is worth keeping, 

and then with the breath of kindness blow the rest away.

 - Dinah Maria Mulock Craik (1826-1887)

                from A Life for a Life

This is why I am so committed to my spiritual path: because this is what true friendship and real listening is and I don't think anything is more important than cultivating the ability to be there for those around us in this way. 

We need to hold each other's hands on this journey because when we remember we are not alone, and that we can bring ourselves fully to another - however beautiful, ugly, light, dark, ridiculous, small, big it all seems - we can handle anything and remember who we really are.