Friends





Let me tell you about my friend Ellen. I've never met her in person, but I know she is beautiful. I also know she's smart, and funny, and talented. She has a heart filled with love and goodness. She's a wonderful wife, a loving daughter, a fantastic teacher, and a truly amazing friend. I love reading her stories. They are always either crazy funny or deeply touching. Yes, Ellen really is something else!
Where do I begin to express how much she's come to mean to me. True, we've never met face to face, but I feel so close to her. She knows things about me that even some in my own family don't know. She was the first person I shared my recent burden with. She helped through those early dark hours. She made me realize that I had not been handed a death sentence, but just another battle to be fought. True it is the battle of my life, but she helped me find the will to hope. Because of her I was able to drag myself out of the depths of depression, put on my make-up and face the world. She reached out to others and helped them reach out to me. Words fail me when I try to find the right ones to thank her. How do I say Thank You to someone who helped me help myself?
Now, she's facing a battle of her own. I want to be there for her. I want to hold her hand when she needs to cry. To put my arms around her and give her comfort. To let her know how much she is loved and needed. I want to be there to help her husband and her family as they help her through this battle. There is so much I want to do, but the miles between us won't allow me to be there in body. So I can only offer to be there in spirit. To pray like I have never prayed before. To tell her that she can call me, anytime, day or night. I will be there ready and waiting to listen, to cry, to hold her hand across the miles. I am always just a phone call away.
Someone ask me recently what I wanted for Christmas. Well, here's my Christmas wish. I want my friend Ellen, to win this battle. I want her to be with us for many, many Christmas's to come. That's it. That's all I ask.