In the course of the years a close friendship will always reveal the shadow in the other as much as ourselves, to remain friends we must know the other and their difficulties and even their sins and encourage the best in them, not through critique but through addressing the better part of them, the leading creative edge of their incarnation, thus subtly discouraging what makes them smaller, less generous, less of themselves.
-- David Whyte, Consolations
A rather beautiful description, it seems to me, of the higher good of friendship. Friendship seems to have lost its favor these days, to both our chagrin and, perhaps, demise. It is well worth resurrecting some healthy contemplation / discussion about it.
