Real Friends, Real Heroes

What is friendship? Is it just the laughter and a lot of time spent together? Is it just shared experiences and bonding moments?

That’s just froth that merrily bubbles over the deeper waters of true friendship.

How can one tell who your real friends are? Here’s something I wrote about my favorite people in the world.

Real Friends…

…Burn the phone wires until their ears have gone flat

from your stories, your gripes and your non-stop chat.

…Look at you clearly and are honest enough

to tell you your fashion sense took the day off.

…Bop you and scold you and make sure that you don’t

give in to that dim-witted thing that you want.

…Defend you from critics when brickbats abound.

…Say good things about you when you’re not around.

…Feel no envy when it’s your moment to shine;

happy not hurt just to cheer from the sideline.

If a hero is one who dies to oneself,

then real friends are heroes – ‘tis truth in itself.

Just as St. Paul had a faithful friend in Luke, I am blessed with real friends. I thank God today for that blessing and priceless treasure.

“Luke is the only one with me.” – 2 Timothy 4:11

From Companion, October 18, 2011: “To have a faithful friend like Luke is a wonderful gift from God and an inestimable treasure.”

The Dehydrated Camel

Sub-title – Guideline # 5: A Servant Leader Seeks Spiritual Nourishment

There was once a camel named Abou. He was a diligent and caring fellow. The other camels looked up to him. The master was so happy with his show of leadership; he put Abou at the head of the caravan.

One day the caravan set out across the wide desert for the grandest city in all the land. All the camels were excited to set their hooves on streets that were said to be paved with gold.

The journey was long and hot. The master stopped at the oases that dotted the desert to cool off the caravan. In each oasis Abou ran around doing head camel things. “C’mon herd, drink up! Don’t mind the iguana.” “Master, Jamal’s harness is loose.” “Your load is slipping, my boy.”

He was so busy he only got a sip or two. In one oasis, he even totally forgot to drink. As the sun turned the desert into a furnace, Abou got weaker and weaker. He became so dehydrated, the master decided to leave him in a tiny run-down desert town lest he die along the way.

With tears in his eyes, he watched the caravan disappear into the distant sand dunes. He was too busy to drink from the nourishing waters when he had the chance. Now he will never lay eyes on that glowing city.

***

I wrote this cautionary tale to illustrate Guideline #5 for my Manual for Servant Leaders Who Insanely Love to Serve God Despite Harassments and Frustrations. (Thank you to my son, Buddy, for the cartoon.) It was inspired by something J Yogawin said during our Evangelism Pillar Pastoral Formation last week. J is our Associate Builder for the Wednesday Feast Alabang.

He exhorted us to be committed to our service. But he also said, “You should never be too busy that you miss the opportunity to sit still, listen and learn how to change your life.” We may be present at the Feast but our minds might be on something else.

That broad-sided us like a blow from a shepherd’s rod. It’s true that when we buzz around with this errand and that, we sometimes forget to heed the talks and take them to heart.

This lapse will become evident in the way we live and treat other people. It’s not an inspiring sight when servant leaders live in direct opposition to the teachings that flow abundantly at the Feast. When we do not seek spiritual nourishment our souls wither.

Abou, like Martha in the bible, had a heart for service but he forgot the one thing that will refresh him and bring him out of the desert.

But Martha was distracted with all her preparations… the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary...” – Luke 10:40-42