Buddies
"When you go out into the world it is best to hold hands and stick together." ~Robert Fulghum
I was on a flight the other day where there were two unaccompanied minors sitting behind me. They were two completely different nine year old boys. One was blond hair, blue eyed, and a very seasoned traveler. His parents were divorced and he explained how he traveled on flights all the time to be with his dad who lived in another state. He knew the emergency landing procedures and even secretly hoped to someday exit a plane on the inflatable slide after the mandatory taking off of his shoes. The other boy had glasses and hearing aides in both ears. His speech was impeded by his hearing. He too was excited about flying, but hadn't experienced it as much as the first boy.
As the flight went on, these two boys talked about everything under the sun. They told each other about their families, the sports they played the schools they went to. When the inexperienced traveler would get excited about something on the plane, the experienced boy would explain it all in a calm voice. When the experienced traveler would get upset about something he was drawing that didn't turn out just so, the inexperienced boy would calm him down. For the entire three hour flight, the ebb and flow of this young friendship was amazing. When one boy needed something, the other one was there for him and visa versa.
It made me think about the importance of a buddy. When Vic was young, his mother told him and his twin brother to stick together and hold hands when they took off out the door to school. It became a theme as they grew up, something that my brother-in-law charged Vic and I to do when we got married. No matter where you are going, no matter what storm you face, as long as you have your buddy and you hold hands and stick together, you will be okay.
This holds true for everyone. The world isn't meant to be faced alone. Everyone needs a buddy to calm them when things get scary. Everyone needs a buddy to listen to them. Everyone needs a buddy to help them get over the things that don't go the way things are expected. When you have alot of work, your buddy will be there to help balance the load. When you have a problem you can't solve, your buddy will be your sounding board.
When the flight was over, the two boys split ways and said their goodbye's. Their friendship served them well and delivered them to their waiting families. The time spent listening to them reminded me fondly of all of my buddies and all that we've gone through. I wish them well and I hope they are holding hands with someone ...... wherever they are.
I was on a flight the other day where there were two unaccompanied minors sitting behind me. They were two completely different nine year old boys. One was blond hair, blue eyed, and a very seasoned traveler. His parents were divorced and he explained how he traveled on flights all the time to be with his dad who lived in another state. He knew the emergency landing procedures and even secretly hoped to someday exit a plane on the inflatable slide after the mandatory taking off of his shoes. The other boy had glasses and hearing aides in both ears. His speech was impeded by his hearing. He too was excited about flying, but hadn't experienced it as much as the first boy.
As the flight went on, these two boys talked about everything under the sun. They told each other about their families, the sports they played the schools they went to. When the inexperienced traveler would get excited about something on the plane, the experienced boy would explain it all in a calm voice. When the experienced traveler would get upset about something he was drawing that didn't turn out just so, the inexperienced boy would calm him down. For the entire three hour flight, the ebb and flow of this young friendship was amazing. When one boy needed something, the other one was there for him and visa versa.
It made me think about the importance of a buddy. When Vic was young, his mother told him and his twin brother to stick together and hold hands when they took off out the door to school. It became a theme as they grew up, something that my brother-in-law charged Vic and I to do when we got married. No matter where you are going, no matter what storm you face, as long as you have your buddy and you hold hands and stick together, you will be okay.
This holds true for everyone. The world isn't meant to be faced alone. Everyone needs a buddy to calm them when things get scary. Everyone needs a buddy to listen to them. Everyone needs a buddy to help them get over the things that don't go the way things are expected. When you have alot of work, your buddy will be there to help balance the load. When you have a problem you can't solve, your buddy will be your sounding board.
When the flight was over, the two boys split ways and said their goodbye's. Their friendship served them well and delivered them to their waiting families. The time spent listening to them reminded me fondly of all of my buddies and all that we've gone through. I wish them well and I hope they are holding hands with someone ...... wherever they are.
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