I got a phone call yesterday afternoon from an old friend. He's 78.
Ed is a guy who befriended me when I was a young guy. He was leading a music group for the older teenagers at our church, including his two kids. They always seemed to have some other, troubled teen or two living with them, from relatives and friends. With my parents' permission, of course, he'd pick me up every couple of weeks or so on an afternoon, and we'd just go get a coke somewhere and talk. I, frankly, thought it was a little weird at first, but we soon became
friends. I now know that this gentle man has a gift, and he took it upon himself to share it with me. He mostly just listened, but he has a way of guiding others to making the right choices for themselves. The main thing that he taught me was, initially with my parents, but it has been extended with time, to not be afraid to tell those that I love "I love you." He taught me about friendship and unconditional love, simply by placing no obligations on our relationship other than honesty and mutual respect. I know this is an odd description, and I've never had another friend quite like him, but this is the truth.Depending upon your perspective, Ed is either heaven-sent, or he has an uncanny ability to drop into my life at the times when I need encouragement the most. I have not spoken to him in at least 2-3 years.He called me, yesterday. I have no idea if he has the slightest clue that there's no one else on the planet who could have made me feel better at that moment, I was pretty low. As we went through the ritual of catching up, he told me about his grandson, with ADHD and other behavioral problems, and how they got along just fine together.
I smiled.
I love you, Ed. It was easy to tell him so.
