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As I go through opening up myself to the possibilities of being heard and understood by a close friend, sometimes it left me frustrated to realize nobody ever really can understand the whole of me just as my friend’s disappointment of her telling me about all her frustrations of not being completely understood. It’s just so aggravating sometimes that you’re looking for sympathy but your friend see it in a different way and she’s just so calm to tell you- it’s no big deal and vice- versa. Well, here’s a real enlightenment for that from one of my favorite author, a Trappist Monk- Thomas Merton “No Man Is an Island”.Charity must teach us that friendship is a holy thing, and that it is neither charitable nor holy to base our friendship on falsehood. We can be, in some sense, friends to all men because there is no man on earth with whom we do not have something in common. But it would be false to treat too many men as intimate friends. It is not possible to be intimate with more than very few, because there are only very few in the world with whom we have practically everything in common.
Love, then, must be true to the ones we love and to ourselves, and also to its own laws. I cannot be true to myself if I pretend to have more in common than I actually have with someone whom I may like for a selfish and unworthy reason.
There is, however, one universal basis for friendship with all men: we are all loved by God, and I should desire them all to love Him with all their power. But the fact remains that I cannot, on this earth, enter deeply into the mystery of their love for Him and of His love for them.
Love, then, must be true to the ones we love and to ourselves, and also to its own laws. I cannot be true to myself if I pretend to have more in common than I actually have with someone whom I may like for a selfish and unworthy reason.
There is, however, one universal basis for friendship with all men: we are all loved by God, and I should desire them all to love Him with all their power. But the fact remains that I cannot, on this earth, enter deeply into the mystery of their love for Him and of His love for them.
4 Grateful Heart's Words:
What a lovely and well thought out post. I agree. I hope you have a great week!!:-)
Agree pod ko sha, but that's life.
ayo ayo diha sister.
This is a powerful and moving post. Yes, no man is an island. We can never live alone isolated from mainstream society. We need the love and companionship of true friends. But we must never look for our own qualities from others. Each person is unique and we should respect individual differences of people. Thanks for the moving post. God bless you always.
That is a wonderful thought. I think that often we need someone to listen to us. We don't always want an answer just someone who takes the time to hear what we have to say.
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