Be patient, friend

Friend

By Donna Swanson

Friend,
My soul was heavy
For I’d walked a lonely road
And I was tired.

Then we met,
And you offered me your hand
In loving acceptance.

I’m sorry I missed seeing
You for so long…
That your face was lost in the dark.

But now my eyes are open,
And I can see and know
The wonder of friendship.

You have shown me
That to be fully human, fully alive,
Is to be loving.

And, with all I am
At this moment,
I accept your gift freely.

Be patient, friend,
For this road is new
And disturbingly open.

And if I falter
And seek to draw a shell
Once more around my soul,

Remind me quickly
How much there is to lose
And how much to gain.

Then, someday, somehow,
I’ll find a way to give myself,
And I’ll be whole.

Free to be loved;
Free to love,
A credit to your compassion.