Elements I look for in friendship: . Curiosity. The attraction to knowing what is true in spite of a
Elements I look for in friendship: . Curiosity. The attraction to knowing what is true in spite of attachment to something already believed. . Kindness & mischief. A foundational generosity towards others, but not the pious martyr who cannot laugh at the weirdness of people. I need you to love all, but smack their back and say ‘damn you act a fool sometimes!’ Laughing at the world and yourself in balance. . Belief. In something. In mystery, or humanity, or God, or the beautiful bigness of space. Nihilists and critics make me tired. . Awe. If you see the Milky Way on a clear night in the desert, and don’t gasp… if I point out a flower growing impossibly in the crack of cement, and you don’t look… I will annoy you. . Absurdity. If you don’t think God, sex, death, poop, or pain can ever be funny, absurd in their place in the world… then I will offend you and you will wear me out. I’m in this life for the long haul, and need the stamina of satire and absurdity to make it through. I need to laugh with my friends to survive. . Self. I need you to believe that you are worth the effort of exposition, of excavation, of education. That you matter and have something for this world. It’s ok if you don’t know right now, or sometimes forget… but I need it in there somewhere. I want to grow with you. I want to sharpen you as you sharpen me. . There are more. I can’t think of them right now. Help me if you’d like. Tell me yours. . . . Photos from my weekend of sharpening and laughter with friends that personify these things. -- source link