The Light Shared Between Friends by Maria Christine

Once upon a time, there was an extraordinary man. His eyes gleamed and his smile glistened because his heart was filled with golden light. He did many astounding and marvelous things, each of them with passion and vim, with optimism and zeal. He thought deeply and he loved deeply. His life was very rich and indeed very busy, but he never forgot to stop and smell the roses. He never forgot to be grateful to the clouds and to the trees. He practiced random acts of kindness and was always considerate of his friends. His closest friends loved him, not because of the wonderful things he could do, and not for the things that he could give them; they loved him for who he was inside.

One sunny day, the man went on a hike. He saw miles of beautiful hills, bright blue sky, and an incredible array of flora and fauna. He even descended deep into a grotto to see its fabled blue waters. Feeling joyous and fulfilled, he began his return journey, but after a short time he suddenly stopped.

After a few minutes, a hummingbird approached him. “Pardon me, sir, but why do you gaze upon the dirt and sparse foliage when you have seen such beauty as the mystical waters in the grotto?”

“Because,” said the man, “the sunlight that shines upon them reminds me of something even more beautiful: The light that is shared between friends.”

“I don’t understand,” said the bird.

“You see,” said the man, pointing ahead, “in the shadow of the cavern, where the hollows and crevices are dark, there is only dirt and rock, but here, in the light, there are vivid green leaves and colorful flowers that bloom. Without light, nothing grows,” he said. “Not the flowers nor the trees, not even the seeds of hope and happiness we have planted in our hearts. Before I do anything else, I will send this message to a friend who once told me that my light helped her to blossom, for hers has helped me too.”

“You are very wise,” said the bird. Then she flew away to share this wisdom with her own friends.

Today, the man continues to do amazing things. He leads by example: reminding us to enjoy life to the fullest, to share our light with others, and that time can always be found to think of a friend.

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The man in this story is inspired by someone very dear to me. Knowing him has changed my life permanently and for the better. Thank you, Derik Leonhardt Neske.

Sincerely,

Maria Christine