RELATIONSHIPS

- FRIENDSHIPS

The therapist asked a simple question.
It was her favorite - because it always
told her so much: “Tell me
the name of a best friend?”


Silence….


So she asked it another way: “Tell
me the names of the 5 best friends
you had in your life?” She added,
“When I was in school someone said,
‘If you have 5 friends in your lifetime,
you’re lucky.’ So think for a moment
and tell me the names of 3 or 4 or 5
friends you’ve had in your lifetime?”


Silence ….


She was sort of frustrated - so she
became silent for what seemed
a long, long time. Actually it was
only 3 minutes. Then she asked,
“Looking around at the people
you are with every day, do you
notice any close friendships?”


Silence ….


She decided to say nothing - till he
said something - but nothing was said.
She thought to herself: “This is the
first time I ever had a bishop in
for counseling. Does he really
not have any friends?”


Silence ….

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2011