Yesterday, at the Friday sermon (Khutbah) at the mosque our Imam (pastor) narrated an awesome story about true friendship. This is what I am attempting to narrate to you, with the hope of not butchering it.
This is the story of a father, his son, and their friends. The son has a best friend whom he spends a lot of time with, and the old man is concerned because every night his son comes home really late. The father asks his son what they do until so late, so the son says that they do not do anything harmful or negative, they just spend some quality time together sharing stories and drinking tea. The father still insists that nothing of long term benefit will come out of spending time together this late that cannot be accomplished at more reasonable hours. The son assures his father that he will come home earlier. The next day the son still comes home super late and the father is still unhappy with him coming late, so he tells him that the next time his son goes to his best friend's place that he will accompany him. The son is reluctant, but he finally agrees to let his dad come along.
The next day, it is time to go to his son's BFF's and the father keeps on delaying. He keeps on delaying until it is very late at night and then he finally tells his son that he is ready to go. The son protests and says it is much too late to go now. His dad says, if this friend is truly as good of a friend as you say he is then he will let you in, but when he asks you why you are here so late you have to tell him that "I had to attend to some personal matters at home." The son agrees and they set off to his best friend's.
When they arrive at the BFF's the son knocks on the door of a house where the lights are on. After some repeated knocking and an extended period of time the BFF comes to the door. He says in an unwelcoming tone "Who is it?". The son responds, "it is me, your good friend." The BFF then says. "You know it is too late? Why have you come at such a late time?" The son responds as his father had instructed him to, "I had to attend to some personal matters at home." The BFF replies, "Oh, it is too late to be talking about all of this stuff, we will talk about it tomorrow, I have a busy day ahead and need to get the proper rest." And then he closes the door.
The old man looks at his son and says. "Is this what you call your best friend? He did not even let us inside after we came all the way to see him. And he was not concerned to help you with whatever reason you came to see him at this late hour. Son, let me now take you to see my best friend. It has actually been some years since I have seen him." The son, is reluctant again because it is late at night, but he agrees expecting to be hastily turned away at the door in the same manner. They head to the old man's BFF's spot.
At the old man's best friend's place the father knocks on the door. The light is turned on inside and someone asks from behind the door who it is. The father replies "it is me your good friend whom you have not seen in a while." The BFF of the old man says "just give me a few seconds and I will let you in." A few moments later the door is opened and the father and son are welcomed into the home. When they enter they see the old man's best friend with a pot/ kettle on his head, a bag in one hand, and a staff in the other. The old man and his son are curious and they ask the BFF what he is doing. The old man's BFF says "My good friend, I was so happy when I heard your voice. But then I grew concerned because it was so late and I thought you may be need my assistance in some manner. I thought you may be hungry/ starving, so I brought the leftovers of what we had and that is the pot that was upon my head. Then, I thought that you may be in need of financial assistance so I got ready this bag filled with money. Then it occurred to me that maybe you are being attacked by someone at this late hour and have come to me for assistance, so I went and got this staff. I know that I am an old man, but I figured I could get a few smacks in with this staff in case you needed help." The old man smiled and assured his friend that he had been blessed and was in need of none of those things.
He had just thought of his old friend at a late hour and wished to see him and make sure that he was well. Soon, the father and his son left the old man's BFF and returned home.
This story just reminded me that we really should be aware of the company that we keep. How many of your friends do you know that are your friends when all is fair and well and are nowhere to be found when you need them the most. I want to surround myself with friends that inspire me and bring out the best in me. I want my friends to be people that I don't just spend time with, but people I can rely on. And those that are the closest to me, I would cross the I- beam for them. The I-beam analogy was used in a book which I don't remember off the top of my head but it stated a simple idea. Imagine, that you have an I-beam suspended between two very high towers or platforms. You are then told that if you were to cross the I-beam suspended high in the sky that you would be given some sort of reward. If that reward were 10 dollars or maybe even a million dollars you would probably not risk your life for it. However, if that reward was to save the life of a loved one, protecting a best friend, or anything else that we hold dear and is of great personal value to us... these are the things that we consider most important. Whatever, you hold most important is what your you truly believe in as it may be more valuable than your own well-being and that is what you would cross the I-beam for.
Some people live to love.
Some people live to fight.
I just want to leave this world content
Hoping I've lived it right.
