SEASON 3, EPISODE 14, “LITTLE WOMEN”

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PRICELESS FRIENDS

“Willie, you can’t buy friends.”

—NELS OLESON

Real friends are hard to find and never bought. Willie Oleson doesn’t have any buddies. Even after bribing the other boys with black licorice, he can’t convince them to join him in the school play. Nels reminds his son that in order to have true friends, he has to be a friend to others.

I have a priceless friend. We live nine hours apart, so about once a year we meet up for a few days to walk and talk and eat. We save all our best adventures and worst sob stories for our time together.

Six months after my brain surgery, we found ourselves in Santa Barbara for the weekend. The first night we started walking. We covered months of happy stories and sad ones. We passed quaint little homes on tree-lined streets, and then walked a new path back to our room.

As we approached the main street, a huge building lit up by old historic lanterns beckoned us, accompanied by the sweet strum of a guitar. The archway leading to a courtyard garden acted as the sound stage. The area created wondrous echoes. It is one of those unforgettable moments etched in my mind. We didn’t say a word; we didn’t have to. All our words were spent, tears had fallen, and then the strings of a musician’s hand soothed our weary hearts.

The time together always flies by faster than a perfect summer day, but the fullness my heart feels as I drive away lingers for months. The time isn’t just relaxing, it’s healing. I’m strengthened to return home where I can love my husband and my children better than I could before. My friend and I motivate each other to be the best versions of ourselves, honoring the Lord as we each walk our unique path.

Deep friendship is a gift from God. When life goes a little sour, He puts people in our lives to sweeten up the hardest of seasons. True friends know us in the deepest parts and still love us. This world wouldn’t be nearly as fun without friends to share it. Real friends can’t be bought, but they are definitely worth every piece of black licorice in the world.

Sweet friendships refresh the soul and awaken our hearts with joy, for good friends are like the anointing oil that yields the fragrant incense of God’s presence.

PROVERBS 27:9 TPT

Do you have a friend who walks with you through life? Can you be a friend to someone looking for encouragement?