Friends

I have a friend with multiple sclerosis. She has been in and out of the hospital 4 times withing the last two months. Each time the doctor delivers the news that she is in her last days. She refuses to believe this!! She has a will to live. She has an 18yr old son and a 15yr old daughter. They have said their good-byes but she states firmly each time, "I'm not going anywhere". She won't allow tears in her presence. I suppose that this is to protect others from hurting, but through this I have learned the value of a friend. Friends are those that you can count on whether they are in your presence or not. A friend is one that you can tell anything and they will think no less of you, one that will accept not only your strengths but also your weaknesses too. A friend is someone who looks deep in your eyes when your hurting and makes it feel better without even a word. They can offer you encouragement even without words. I treasure friends and I hope they treasure me.