A dictionary contains a definition of friendship somewhere in
the F’s between the words “fear” and “Friday.” An encyclopedia supplies
interesting facts on friendship. But all the definitions and facts do not
convey what friendship is really all about. It cannot be understood through
words or exaggerations. The only way to understand friendship is through
experience. It is an experience that involves all the senses.
Friendship can be seen. Friendship is seen in a child freely
sharing the last cookie. It is the small arm over the shoulder of another as
they walk on the playground. Seeing friendship is not casual. It is watching
for subtlety, but friendship is there for eyes that can see.
Friendship can be heard. It is heard in the words of two
friends who squeezed in lunch together on an extremely busy day. It is the way
they talk to each other, not the words. Their tone is unique. Friendship can be
heard by those willing to listen.
Friendship is felt in a touch. It is a pat on the back from a
teammate, a high five between classes, and the slimy, wet kiss from the family
dog. It’s a touch that reassures that someone is there, someone who cares. The
touch communicates more than words or gestures. It is instantly understood and
speaks volumes beyond the point of contact, to the heart.
Friendship has a taste. It tastes like homemade bread; the
ingredients all measured and planned, then carefully mixed and kneaded, then
the quiet waiting as the dough rises. Hot from the oven, the bread tastes more
than the sum of its ingredients. There is something else there, perhaps the
thoughts of the baker as her hands knead the dough, or her patience as she
waits for the dough to rise. Unseen and unmeasured, this is the ingredient that
makes the difference. Warm, fresh from the oven with a little butter, the
difference you taste is friendship.
Friendship has a smell. It smells like the slightly burnt
cookies your brother made especially for you. It smells like your home when
stepping into it after being away for a long time. It smells like a sandbox or
a sweaty gym. Friendship has a variety of smells. Taken for granted at the
moment, they define the memory of friendship.
Do you feel your own friendship with someone? More than the
other senses, friendship is an experience of the heart. It is the language of
the heart—a language without words, vowels, or consonants; a language that,
whether seen, felt, heard, or tasted, is understood by the heart. Like air
fills the lungs, friendship fills the heart, allowing us to experience the best
life has to offer: a friend.
