(Jaime gave me these poems today in reference to our friendship and our impending good-bye.  Thought they were very sweet and are dedicated to you, my friend :-))

E. E. Cummings –

“here is the deepest secret nobody knows (here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows higher than the soul can hope or the mind can hide) and this is the wonder that’s keeping the stars apart…i carry your heart (i carry it in my heart).”

and then this:

Khalil Gibran –

And the youth said, “Speak to us of Friendship.”

Your friend is your needs answered.

He is your board and your fireside.

For you come to him with your hunger, and you seek him for peace.

When your friend speaks his mind you fear not the “nay” in your own mind, nor do you withold the “ay.”

And when he is silent your heart ceases not to listen to his heart;

For without words, in friendship, all thoughts, all desires, all expectations are born and shared with joy that is unacclaimed.

When you part from your friend, you grieve not;

For that which you love most in him may be clearer in his absence, as the mountain to the climber is clearer from the plain. (LOVE that part!)

And let there be no purpose in friendship save the deepening of the spirit.

For love that seeks aught but the disclosure of its own mystery is not love but a net cast forth; and only the unprofitable is caught.

And let your best be for your friend.

If he must know the ebb of your tide, let him know its flood also.

For what is your friend that you should seek him with hours to kill?

Seek him always with hours to live.

For it is his to fill your need, but not your emptiness.

And in the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter and sharing of pleasures.

For in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed.

Aren’t those delicious?  Thank you sweet Jaime for this little bit of emotional delicacy.  Tastes a lot like chocolate to my soul….

And thank you, friend and reader, for reading this and recognizing that these words are meant for you, too… 🙂