The gift of energy

And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and though she had spent all her living on physicians, she could not be healed by anyone. She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased. And Jesus said, “Who was it that touched me?” When all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the crowds surround you and are pressing in on you!” But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me.” And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.” *

I am sharing this Bible passage because it becomes clear here that there is a certain energy that is transferred from one person to another when help has been given. Here, Jesus did not even have to know that he had actually healed a woman who had been ill for many years. He did not know that. But he knew that power had gone out of him. He felt it. The reason I'm sharing this is to make the point that friendship can be tiring. And it involves an awareness that we may not receive back for the commitment that we have made.

Mostly what makes friendship tiring is that it requires concentration, sometimes intense concentration. I can only liken it to a game of ping-pong. When I was in college, we used to often play ping-pong just to see how long we could keep the volley going. In order to do that we had to watch where and how the person on the other end of the table was going to hit the ball. Simultaneously, we needed to be where the ball was going in order to paddle it back. And we did this for as long as we possibly could.

Translated to friendship, we can ask,
•What is it that my friend wants to share with me?
•Can I understand where he/she is coming from?
•Can I remember not to be judgemental?
•What is the best thing I can do or say to keep love flowing?

The combined energies of the people who are friends should make sure their own needs are being met, while also behaving in a way that is consistent with the standards they believe in.

* Luke 8:43-48

♬  Janis Joplin: Piece of my Heart