Just a hand along the way

16 At this, Daniel went to the king and asked for time, so that he might interpret the dream for him.
17 Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah.
18 He urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.
****
Job 6:14 "A despairing man should have the devotion of his friends, even though he forsakes the fear of the Almighty.
****
Luke 6 So Jesus went with them. He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to him: "Lord, don't trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof.
*****
Acts 27:3 The next day we landed at Sidon; and Julius, in kindness to Paul, allowed him to go to his friends so they might provide for his needs.
*****
Daniel was afraid for his life and the life of others. He asked his friends for prayer. Job felt friends should stick even through the hard times, the centurion felt unworthy and asked his friends to make a journey and speak for him, Paul's friends gave him what he needed. Simon carried the cross for Jesus.

There is more but that is enough for now to say you don't have to do it yourself. There is more than one human on the planet for a reason. We are supposed to be together. Joined in ways I can't explain, I know we are all interconnected. What grieves one, hurts one or helps one, does the same for us all.

We are alone inside ourselves when we can't share the truth of our thoughts, fears and feelings. It's the most lonely I have ever been, with no one to know and love all of me. To grant the freedom to another to be all that they are, good and bad, is the gift only a true friend can give.

If you have friends and are a friend life is good. Afraid, down on your luck, ashamed, without a way to get what you need yourself - that's life for all of us on one day or another.

Taking care of our friends as they care for us is helping one another live on and love.

On either side, the needy or the giving, you are what you need to be for Love to show on this earth. As the needy you receive the gift of the love that comes to you. As the giving you give the gift of showing love is real. Both are needed.

You can't show the love if there is no one that needs the love to be shown. We all need to see the love is real. Even a casual passer by may see the love in some one pulled over and changing a tire on the road. That person may be reminded to help when they next see a hand is needed and you never saw them drive by because you were busy with what you were doing.

God bless all my friends today. I love my family deeply, but they had to keep me, I was theirs. My friends have chosen me. I am so blessed.