Den handlede nemlig om venskab, og dette billede var et af dem der fulgte med, med følgende tekst:
What's so poignant about this picture? Well, it shows a line of little girls holding hands facing the immensity of ocean waves. Alone they might be washed away, but together they stand strong. Thank you each for holding my hand somewhere along the way when I was facing a wave of my own. I hope you will reach for my hand when your own wave threatens.
Jeg kommer unægteligt til at tænke på betydningen af de venskaber, jeg har. På betydningen af, at der er mennesker, der rent faktisk ser mig og har lyst til at kende mig, bare fordi jeg er mig. Jeg er et rigt menneske på dette område, for jeg føler mig meget elsket i min vennekreds. Og tro mig - det er nok ikke så let altid at elske mig. Jeg kender mange af mine dårlige sider, og der er sikkert sider, jeg endnu ikke er bevidst omkring!
Men det er ikke alle, der er lige så begavede på vennekreds-området som jeg. Og det er trist. Måske endda uretfærdigt. Ensomhed er et større problem, end mange af os nok er klar over. Man kan være noget så ensom i en stor flok mennesker - jeg har selv prøvet det - og det er som om, at ensomheden larmer mest, når alle omkring én ser ud til at hygge sig og være omgivet af mennesker, der elsker deres selskab.
En af mine kollegaer har for nyligt, på eget initiativ, samlet en masse møbler og køkkengrej ind til en anden kollega, som p.g.a. en slem skilsmisse nu står med ingen ejendele tilbage. Jeg tager hatten af i respekt for denne omsorg, som helt ærligt, kom fra en lidt uventet kant. De er ikke bedste venner. De er ikke vokset op sammen. De deler ikke den samme tro. De er bare kollegaer. Og den ene har strukket sig meget langt for den anden - fordi han så et behov! Måske vokser der ikke et livslangt venskab ud af denne uselviske handling, men der vokser respekt ud af den. Og noget af det mest fantastiske er, at han har fået en form for åbenbaring - en erkendelse - han har nemlig opdaget, hvor meget federe det er, at gøre noget godt for nogen, der har brug for det, end at samle ind til sig selv!
Som sagt vokser der måske ikke et livslangt venskab ud af dette, Men alligevel tror jeg, at mine kollegaer nu har en oplevelse af at stå hånd i hånd og spejde ud over livets oprørte hav. Det er trygt at holde nogen i hånden, når bølgerne er store. Det er trygt at vide, at der er nogen, der holder fast på én, når benene vakler. Og det er fantastisk dejligt at vide, at der er nogen, der ser én, og som gerne vil hjælpe, når man ikke selv magter mere.
I received a chain letter in my inbox this morning. Usually I don't forward this kind, unless it really touches me. And this mail actually touched me, so I immediately sent off to the women in my address book, whom I expect will smile a little when they have read the message.
The mail had a message about friendship, and this photo came with, with the following text:
What's so poignant about this picture? Well, it shows a line of little girls holding hands facing the immensity of ocean waves. Alone they might be washed away, but together they stand strong. Thank you each for holding my hand somewhere along the way when I was facing a wave of my own. I hope you will reach for my hand when your own wave threatens.
It made me think of the importance of the friendships I have, and of the importance that there are people who actually see me and want to know me just because I am me. I am a rich person in this area, because I feel very loved within my circle of friends. And believe me - it's probably not so easy always to love me. I know many of my bad sides, and there are probably areas that I have not yet discovered!
But not everyone is equally gifted when it comes to friends. And it's sad. Maybe even unfair. Loneliness is a bigger problem than many of us probably realize. It is possible to be so lonely in a big bunch of people - I've tried it - and it is as if loneliness is extremely noisy when you seem to be surrounded by people who enjoy themselves and are with people who love their company.
One of my colleagues recently, on his own initiative, collected a lot of furniture and kitchen utensils for another colleague, who - due a bad divorce - found herself with no belongings. I have such respect for this sign og affection, which, frankly, came from a somewhat unexpected person. They are not best friends. They have not grown up together. They do not share the same faith. They are just colleagues. And one has walked an extra mile for the other - simply because he saw a need! Maybe lifelong friendship won't grow out of this selfless act, but there is a lot of respect growing out of it. And one of the most amazing things is that he has had a kind of revelation - he has discovered how much cooler it is to do something good for someone who needs it, but to store goods for yourself!
As I said, a lifelong friendship might not come out of this, but nevertheless I believe that my colleagues now have a feeling of standing hand in hand against life's stormy seas. It is safe to hands when the waves are big. It is comforting to know that there is someone who will hold you when your legs wobble. And it's great to know there is someone who sees you and who wants to help when you don't have the strength to fight on your own anymore.
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