A gentle drizzle was falling outside as I stepped into the garage Sunday morning.  The rain was soundless as it softly soaked the flowers growing outside my house.  As I look at this flower the rain ceases to fall.  Everything is still and peaceful as I watch the remnants of the rain slowly gather upon the flower peddles.  They then mix and mingle to form raindrops, who then steadily make their way to the edge of the flowers, where they skydive to the soggy earth below.

        With the morning rain came the refreshing aroma of spring in Alabama.  For weeks we have been living without any rain to soften the dusty earth.  The pollen has been hanging heavy in the air as everything has been painted a dusty yellow color.  But with the rain came a special clean feeling you could smell and feel, as well as see.  Everything seemed to have enjoyed the morning bath; the birds appear to enjoy singing in the shower, the squirrels seem to jump higher and I believe my camera is functioning better as well.

        Strange, how much better life seems after a little encouragement and refreshment.  After the showers of heaven have fallen we forget about the dust, the pollen and the dryness.  Once we receive the comforting touch of a friends love or the silent compassion of a caring comrade all our burdens seem lighter.  Love comforts us like sunshine after rain.  Yes, it is wonderful to have a caring friend in our times of crisis, difficulties and sorrow.

        But perhaps the greatest blessing is to be the caring friend.  It is nice to find comfort, but it is better to comfort.  It is good to be loved, but it is far superior to love.  It is a great thing to find forgiveness, but nothing can match the wonders of forgiving.  The ultimate miracle of love is this—that love is given to us to give to one another.  We are not comforted to make us comfortable, but to make us comforters.  Caring is a choice; loving is a choice; being a friend is a choice, let us choose wisely today.

Something to think about:

• Our job is not to see through one another but to see one another through.

• Friendships form among people who strengthen one another.

• The true way to soften one’s troubles is to solace those of others.

• The comfort of having a friend may be taken away, but not that of having had one.
• Empathy is your pain in my heart.

• Lord, make me an instrument of your peace;
  where there is hatred, let me sow love;
  when there is injury, pardon;
  where there is doubt, faith;
  where there is despair, hope;
  where there is darkness, light;
  and where there is sadness, joy.
  Grant that I may not so much seek
  to be consoled as to console;
  to be understood, as to understand,
  to be loved as to love;
  for it is in giving that we receive,
  it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
  and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Thankful for the comforters
Rickey Moore