Steel magnolia

 

I made a day-long trip  to the other side of the island yesterday with  a very  good friend I have not known for a long time. It might sound strange describing someone  I don't really know well as  "very good"; but considering how she has so far put up with me,  my friend cannot be any less than very good.  Also and if this makes sense to anybody, my very good friend's spirit is "fragrant" to me. I consider that to be  her main attraction.

 

My very good friend and I got to know more about each other during our trip.

 

I did not, for example,  realize until yesterday that my very good friend -- who is always gracious,  cheerful and funny whenever I see her -- has had major misfortunes in her life.  Until yesterday I had no clue that her only child committed suicide.  She had had to give up a business she had built painstakingly from the ground. She had gone through the ordeal of having her home taken away from her.

 

My very good friend shows no mark from the blows life has dealt her.  On the contrary, she has, about her, more love than rancor.

 

This morning  I  took a picture of two magnolias. They reminded me of my very good friend -- a huge, beautiful and fragrant steel magnolia.

I am grateful for the day's lesson. There is always a choice -- either wallow in bitterness and misfortune or opt  to nurture joy and attract more reasons to be joyful about.

 I am sure that living in Hawaii has much to do with my friend's attitude towards life. There is after all in the spirit of Aloha an intrinsic faith in the enduring goodness of the Universe.
 

 

Posted with Aloha from Hawaii!
- By ARIEL MURPHY