"It is sayd, that at the nede the frende is knowen."

Proverbs 17:17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

I don't have a lot of friends--somewhat on purpose. I have a number of close acquaintances, but few actual friends. Few people I've let in to that inner circle. In fact, until recently I've had one (well, two, but the other guy is so busy/far away we interact very rarely and only via email, so...one on the active roster). There've been several on the "potential friend"/"close acquaintance" list, but for one reason or another, it hasn't gone past that.

I've not been happy about that situation, and really wished it would change. But lately, I've come to understand that such wasn't just inconvenient/unfortunate--it was wrong. I needed to have more friends--I should've made the effort. Not that there's anything wrong with the one I had (or the other one--I understand busy). But I needed to have made the effort, I needed to have shared my life more with others. It was selfish, self-centered, and short-sighted.

But thankfully, thankfully, a couple of brothers have stepped up--showing that they were born for adversity--and have kept my head above troubled waters. Loving me--not in some silly sappy way, but with shoe leather. Even the too-busy guy has made time for phone calls and email, which means a whole lot to me. Several online friends have gone way above the call of duty, too. Not to downplay them, but it's the flesh and blood area that I'm weak in. All these friends have kept me going when I thought I couldn't any more. Tears, pain, disaster, dispair, laughter...you name it, they've seen it in the last couple weeks. And thanks to them I sit here typing, with some hope in the future, a lot of hope in our Risen Lord, and hope in their continued friendship.

At the same time, I've basically been told to stay away from one of my close acquaintances (due to gender, probably doomed to stay there). And while I understand it, that hurts. Bad timing, on that one. Maybe if I'd been a better friend myself, things wouldn't have got to that point. Shame it feels like it's too late to fix things--but I'll give it a shot.

All this has made me think a lot about that phrase: "A friend in need, is a friend indeed/in deed." Google helped me find a couple interesting takes on the phrase (and several others, but I called off the search early). I think the Word Detective's more helpful, but I liked the quotes from The Phrase Finder (as you can see from the title to this post--which is far more interesting than my working title "Friends/Friendship").

But that's a digression. I just wanted to take a moment to publicly thank these men (they know their real identities) and the God they serve for their friendship, to apologize to them for not reaching out in friendship earlier. Love you guys. (In a manly, hugging-with-three-pats-on-the-back kind of way) Also thought it good to mark the moment (a few days after it happened) when I realized what a colossal moron I'd been for my attitudes.

Man is a communal creature. He was made to be in fellowship with others--I'm very glad I've been brought into fellowship with those God has put in my life, real friends indeed.