Mary Ellen Greene
I was reading a book recently, and saw a quote that caught my eye and my mind immediately. The name of the book was “Best Friends Last a Lifetime.” It was written by Dr. S. M. Henrriques. As I read the book I thought of the many, many friends I have known in my lifetime of 72 years. Some are still living in Madison, and some have moved away. And, sadly enough, some have passed on to live in Heaven until others of us get there to join them. We all need friends all the time. But, sometimes, what we need more is to be a friend for someone else. It might sound selfish but it is true that offering love and friendship to another person does us as much good as anyone. Admittedly, it is not always easy; no one ever guaranteed that it would be. But, doing the difficult, just because of friendship, is itself a wonderful description of being a friend.
Sometimes being a friend requires staying up late at night when you would rather be sleeping. Sometimes it means canceling plans to be available for someone going through a rough time. Other times, it calls for defending another friend when the rumors are rampant, but choosing instead to believe only the best of them. Or, it can mean standing by when others suddenly find themselves too busy, yet choosing to be available for another. Or, giving advice. Or, lending an ear. Or, sitting in silence when the pain is too great for conversation. Or, cooking a special dinner. Or, any of a million things one might name.
Growing up, I remember many of my first friends as a child. My very best friend as a young girl was Rosemary Clark, the daughter of Jargo and the late Eunice Priest Clark. As the years went by, and Rosemary moved to other cities, we have kept in touch and call each other on our birthdays. She also called and told me how sad she was when my father, Buford Selman, passed away. I have had many other very close friends — Jackie Johnson, among others. Jackie and I were expecting our babies at the same time when she and Kin were expecting Mary Bess (Johnson), and Tommy and I were expecting Emerald Elizabeth Greene. They were born just one month apart. Jackie and I were officers of the Madison Junior Woman’s Club, and went to other towns to meet other young women in the Junior Woman’s Club. Our friends with us were so afraid we would have our babies before we got back to Madison, but we didn’t. We waited and they were born when they were supposed to be. It was Marjorie Holmes who said: “The man who treasurers his friends is usually solid bold himself.”
It was Thomas Wilson who said: “Friendship is to be purchased only by friendship. A man may have authority over others, but he can never have their hearts, but by giving his own.” It was a Persian Proverb that says: “The world is a rose; smell it and pass it on to your friends.” And, it was Frederick William Fisher who said, “Kind words are the music of the world. They have a power which seems to be beyond some angel’s song which had lost its way and come to earth.”
And, the last quote I will leave with you is: “ A friend is someone who needs me, trusts me, and is happy when my news is good; someone who won’t go away. ……Angela Douglas
With this, my friends, I leave you to think about your best friends, and call them up to remind them you love them……
Nuff said…..Bye for now…..See ‘ya.
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