The Unforgettable Kindness of Being There

"The most I can do for my friend is simply be his friend."
― Henry David Thoreau

A few months ago, I wrote about the kindness of a move-a-body friend -- the kind of friend who helps you do whatever needs to be done, no questions, no judgment, no hard time. 

I feel very blessed to have the friends I do and I am grateful for them every day.  Recently, my husband was out of town and I felt doubly blessed by the kindness of my move-a-body friends.  As with most people (probably all of us), I do some things well and then I am completely overwhelmed by others.  And when I feel overwhelmed, I don't get far.  Enter those diehard move-a-body friends.  One of them came over on Friday night to help me with a home maintenance project that I needed done.  I knew that she would rather be sleeping, but there she was.  It reminded me of years back when we tackled covering our children's school books together.  (At the time, that was an overwhelming task!)  And then yesterday, along came my other knight in shining armor.  He has saved many a day in the more than three decades that I have known him.  From saving me from my fear of the dark in college to being with me at key moments in my life, this friend is as good as they come -- and then some.  He helped me with several things I needed to do around the house, but mostly, it was his presence that was the greatest gift.

Many times, kindness is about being there, getting there -- even when you would prefer not to, even when it would be easier not to.  The kindness of being there when you are needed is invaluable and, for me, truly unforgettable.