Singing Back to You

A true friend learns the song of your heart. (link)

 
An even better friend learns the harmony to that song. (link)

 
But there is something even more special which that friend can do.

Life is tough. The song of our heart is a star we follow, an ideal that motivates us to push through brambles, over boulders, across rivers. But nobody has the joy of ALWAYS seeing that star. Clouds come out and our guiding light disappears.

 
Maybe there are days or even weeks when you forget your song. Adverse circumstances and general fatigue set in and discouragement becomes the only lyrics you hear. Life seems to want to beat it out of you, forcing a new melody of discord into your heart. A friend can do something that nobody else can do: he can sing your song back to you.

 
Whether it be through a letter, a conversation, a look, a friend – since he knows your heart – is capable of reminding you of your forgotten song.

 
Saturday morning I received an email from a fellow seminarian telling me that he has discerned that God is calling him elsewhere. That’s always a tough thing to hear, even though I am spiritually happy for him, since I know that it is the best. He is one of my very good friends, and I haven’t yet found the right words to respond to him. But one thing I can say – and he doesn’t have to read this in order to know it – every time I think of him, I remember all the ideals we share and the moments we fought together to reach those ideals. More than once that has helped me in trying times. And I thank him for being a true friend.

 
You see, our paths now go different directions but since he is a friend, just thinking of him will remind me of my star. If that star goes behind a cloud in my life, I know that he is one of those who could help me find the light again. And I hope he can say the same about me.

 
Someday you will want someone to remind you of that song you may have forgotten. And to be able to “sing” it back to someone is a great privilege; one that belongs only to those who live as true friends. 

By David Yep