“Those who wish for good things for their friends for their own sake are friends most of all, since they are that way for themselves and not incidentally; so the friendship of these people lasts as long as they are good, and virtue is enduring.” – Aristotle
My idea of friendship is a bond that consists of mutual trust, constructive interaction, and moral support. Through friendship we encourage one another to be the best version of ourselves. We remind each other when we have gone off course, or are no longer living in accordance to our principles. That is we help each other to live with integrity and purpose.
Friendship is also a means to keep the heart warm and provide a sense of belonging and connection in a world that can sometimes appear chaotic and meaningless. Much more can be said here, however, it is my preference to hear your thoughts on the nature of friendship. What makes it good, meaningful or significant for you?
The following verse provides a somewhat lofty yet grounding rendition of this kind of unity. Being transcendent in tone – the centre stanza provides an orientation and middle ground by which friendship can turn. It is the language of the heart that somehow trumps our intellect in this context.
The Gift of Friendship
Let us traverse this earth together
So that our longings may never be in vain
That our souls may be as one forever
To shoulder each other’s burden and pain
Let us soar this endless night
So that our hearts might remember the way
Before the sun gave its light
And splendour was turned into day
Let us imagine this eternal rest
So that our love might be renewed
To perpetually strive to give our best
In accord to our natural aptitude
By Jason Youngman
Summer of 2019
Philosopher Muse 
Beautiful! my friend!
Thank you!
Friendship and love have a lot in common, of course, in that in each case the participants truly desire the well-being of the other, enjoy their company without wishing to possess or control them, and both give and receive.
Sounds like music to my ears! Thank you Mick
Can´t send you an email. It always returns as mail delivery error.
Here is my review of your latest poem as a copy of my failed email attempt:
Hello Jason,
so good to hear from you. I thought you were displeased by my statement to your last poem.
Now I see you have worked on your skills. This one is much better. In fact it is really good.
I have no problem with understanding the language. The vocabulary is sophisticated but not overly challenging.
I very much like that you have chosen the classical form with rhyme.
Each verse begins with “let us”, which makes the poem an intimate message, as if you were talking to someone personally. Not neccessarily the reader, but maybe a close friend or lover of yours. Same as with Shakespeare´s sonnets. “Shall I compare thee to a summer´s day” – the word “thee” obviously adresses an anonymous woman or girl, dear to Shakespeare.The reader is able to witness the thoughts and experiences of the author, and may or may not discover similarities to his own situation. This gives you one point in being more personal this time, my poet friend
Having read the poem several times, it becomes clear that the poem takes the perpective of non-incarnated souls.
First verse making the decision to become humans on earth, while still in the non -physical, spiritual realm.
Second verse is more difficult. What exactly is “this endless night”? Is it the night that was before the creation of everything (“before the sun gave it´s light”)? I do interpret it as the night of the actual experience of a life on earth. But it stays unclear to me.
Third verse, same indifference here. What do you mean with “eternal rest”? Is it the final death of the soul? Is it the condition of the soul after he died as a human being? How can this rest be eternal, when the first verse speaks about the decision-making of a soul incarnating on earth. Is there only one decision possible prior to only one exclusive life and then there´s eternal night? Or is there also the chance to get reborn anew and have this experience of love and friendship over and over again. “Perpetually strive” seems to suggest that this exclusive friendship of souls is meant to be experienced in several lifetimes. But it´s contradictory to the term “eternal rest”.
As areader I get feeling of what you may mean, it´s because of the special atmosphere that your words create and my personal presetting. But for the mind it remains a bit unclear and vague. Oh sorry, what a horrible mess of a wording is that. “Vague” must be the worst insult for a poem, right?
Ah yes, and I forget to mention the reoccuring word “this”. How can it be that in a chronology of three different phases of a souls life-circle each event is just now present. Oh yes, it´s possible for a timeless being like a soul. Makes sense!
So this confirms my assumption that a non-incarnated soul is speaking to one of his soulmates. Right?
These are just my amateurish observations, Jason. Don´t take it personally, in case my words cause any deprecation to you. In my eyes you are the expert, Jason, and you definitely know better than I.
All in all I liked this particular one very much. It reminded me on the audiobook “Journey of Souls”, which I think I have already recommended to you. The book is showing that in fact there is a well-planned afterlife, and we exist in groups of closely related souls who make plans for their earthly challenges, meet and interact on earth over and over and stay together and develop forever as a soul-family.
I might be completely wrong. If so, please breake it down to me, Jason. Take the time to explain to me your true intention. I´m willing to learn.
Thanks for stimulating my mind, heart and soul, in such a beautiful way, brother!
Cheers : )
Georg
My goodness Georg, I absolutely love your review! So thoughtful and insightful, it makes my cheeks naturally curve upward. It is my hope to address your comment in the near future.
Beautiful post, Jason. My friend’s funeral was yesterday, and I can relate to what you are saying, in retrospect.