Artists Passion

by: Liane Schmidt

There is nothing in the world that seems to feed the soul more, than a friend that has lasted year after year. Sometimes months upon months can pass by without ever seeing that friend - let’s face it our lives go in different directions - different job locations, family priorities, and all the other activities that draw us seemingly farther apart. But what I have found throughout the years is that true friendship, no matter how many days fall in between seeing or hearing from the other, can never be broken. True friendship is a gift that transcends all else. It is something that has fed my heart and spirit through some of the toughest moments of my life.

I must admit, it seems no matter how many people I meet, I enjoy my alone time so much that I tend to only have a few friends that I truly ever spend any of my time with. When I get home from work, it takes a huge effort to get me out of the comfort of my small studio apartment. As soon as I get home, I am able to take off whatever stiff work outfit I had to wear and slip into comfy pj’s and curl up in a blanket while I read and continue steadily editing and reworking my almost 400 page novel. It is almost finished. It is a miracle to me. I still have to stop myself sometimes and remember to breathe; remember to breathe because I am truly making my dreams come true.

And, when I am alone I am my most comfortable. I don’t have to worry about anything. In any given moment, I can do whatever I want.

I say all this because this is what makes me limitlessly appreciative of true friendship.

The amazing friends that I have been lucky enough to make throughout the years and keep are a blessing. They are people I know will always be a part of my life and yet most of them I do not see hardly at all. Thank God for email and the telephone or I might have to go back to pen and paper to keep in touch. I thank God that they understand and I thank God that they have loving people who surround their lives with beauty and joy.

But, such is the life of a writer, I guess. We can spend many hours alone, in our thoughts, in our imaginations. For me one visit with a close friend can last me the whole year. I’ve always wondered where people find the energy and drive to go out with several different people in one day! Just thinking about it tires me out! I used to fight the whole introvert vs. extrovert theories and now, I believe maybe there is more to those theories than I had originally given credit to.

I suppose this article today is being written more to take a moment to thank all those beautiful friends who have loved me all these years for who I am. Who still love me when days, months, and even years have passed without seeing the other. I want these people to know that I will always love them. Love them beyond words for they have touched and forever changed my heart. I know that I am a better person for knowing each and every one of them; I thank them with everything in my heart for knowing me and still wanting to be a part of my life.

My best wishes to all.