Lesson Friendship




	WRITE 2 THE HEART Stories that are aimed "Write 2 the Heart" July 17, 2002 Cheryl Speir, Editor, moderator@write2theheart.com ----------------------------------------------------------- By subscription only! Welcome to your latest issue of "Write 2 the Heart" ------------------------------------------------------------- Do you have a heart-warming story to share? We are accepting story submissions at this time. Please e-mail your original story to moderator@write2theheart.com ------------------------------------------------------------- A friend loveth at all times Proverbs 17:17 ------------------------------------------------------------- A Lesson on Friendship By Rose Wade-Schambach ------------------------------------------------------------- "I'm coming to stay with you after you have your surgery until you can get on your feet again," she offered as nonchalantly as if she were offering to walk next door to visit over a cup of coffee. Never mind that she lived two states away with a family of her own to look after! It was my best friend Cheryl that was making the offer, and when it comes to being a friend, she holds the title. I was scheduled to have a total hysterectomy and bladder repair, and as a single Mom, I was clueless as to how I would pull off having surgery and managing the recovery with the children, especially since the youngest was not three. Cheryl had had the surgery a few years' prior, and she not only knew what I was up against, but she knew that I would need all the help I could get. I had a few other offers of help from others, but they were flippant, half-hearted niceties that people throw your way. "Let me know if you need any help." Maybe it was my pride that kept me from saying, "Are you joking? Let's see now, I'll need childcare and meals and someone just to hold my hand when the after-pain of surgery becomes more that I can bear. Which task can I put you down for?" Instead, I just smiled and thanked them. But Cheryl was more than just a cloud without water. She orchestrated to be at the hospital the day of my discharge to stay however long my recovery took. She brought things with her, too. Things like snacks and videos and good books. Most importantly she brought her sense of humor. I needed someone to be totally perceptive of my needs and she was. She cooked wonderful meals and cleaned up and allowed me to nap when I needed to. She drove me in the car when I needed an outing and took me to the doctors. She perceived when I was tired and needed to go home. She cried with me when I got discouraged and laughed with me while we watched old comedies. She helped with the children, thinking of new and different activities for them and relieved them from having to be my personal nursemaid. The recovery took longer than either of us expected, but Cheryl never acted the least bit put out. Neither did her husband, David, when she would call to give him updates. She ended up staying an entire month. In retrospect, Cheryl had always been there for me. She had supported me through dozens of cataclysmic events over the years. She had encouraged me through six pregnancies and two miscarriages. She kept track of me when I moved around like a gypsy during a rocky marriage that finally ended. She knew more about me than I would have been comfortable sharing with anyone else. She was a rock I could depend on. I've learned so much about friendship from her. I've learned what it is to be a friend and I've learned what it is to have a friend. She's been the teacher and I've been the pupil. One day I'm sure I'll have the opportunity to give back to someone what she has taught me. I hope I don't fail the test. I want to be just like her. Rose Wade-Schambach schwadeton @ yahoo.com (You are encouraged to write to the authors to let them know what you think of their story, just remember to remove the space before and after the @ symbol. The space is placed in the address to protect our writers from viruses.) Have a comment on today's story? Send it to: moderator@write2theheart.com ---------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- Letters From Our Readers --------------------------------------------------------------- Having moved from Winnipeg to England my daughters and I sorely miss the V.V. Boutique. My youngest has gone back for a visit this summer and has taken a very large empty suitcase for the express purpose of visiting every V.V. that she can. Enjoy the fact that you have it. Beverley ** I have a friend who subscribed me to your website. This is so great to have refreshing and funny items to read without worrying about censors. My friend is going through a tough time now as all of us do sometime in our lives. She has many hurdles to jump at this point but she is really a great friend and needs encouraging. We sometimes need to know that our problems are not brought on by what we may have done or how we went about trying to correct them. God is great and has blessed her and her family many ways. I am thankful that she is my friend because they are hard to find!!! DeLynda ** Maria, I know I owe you some answers to e-mail written to me some time ago. I read and enjoy your letters, but I'm so easily sidetracked these days that I've let my e-mail pile up. I wanted to tell you how much I love your story. It reminded me of myself...the part about hanging on to clothes that haven't been worn for ages. Finally.... I picked out all of those lovely clothes I was hanging on to, hoping I would miraculously shrink back to a nice trim shape and wear them again. I sent them down to the Senior Center Thrift store. I hope other ladies love the dresses, blouses and slacks as much as I did. I love to read your stories. Pat ------------------------------------------------------------ Cheryl's Corner I think Maria added to everyone's vocabulary last week! People are now laughingly referring to thrift and resale shops as V.V. Boutique. My three year old grandson, Mason, heard his mom say something he thought she shouldn't. "Momma, you shouldn't say that," he told her" His other grandmother said, "Mason, tell her where people go who say bad things." He solemnly told everyone, "To Wal-Mart!" God Bless Cheryl ----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- © 2002 Write 2 the Heart Nothing may be reproduced or published without the written permission of the individual author or copyright owner. 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