Friendship is co-operative and supportive behavior between two or more people. In this sense, the term connotes a relationship which involves mutual knowledge, esteem, and affection and respect along with a degree of rendering service to friends in times of need or crisis. Friends will welcome each other's company and exhibit loyalty towards each other, often to the point of altruism. Their tastes will usually be similar and may converge, and they will share enjoyable activities. They will also engage in mutually helping behavior, such as exchange of advice and the sharing of hardship. A friend is someone who may often demonstrate reciprocating and reflective behaviors. Yet for many, friendship is nothing more than the trust that someone or something will not harm them. Value that is found in friendships is often the result of a friend demonstrating the following on a consistent basis:
- the tendency to desire what is best for the other,
- sympathy and empathy,
- honesty, perhaps in situations where it may be difficult for others to speak the truth, especially in terms of pointing out the perceived faults of one's counterpart,
- mutual understanding.
Larry is doing the best he can in the situation he is in. I can tell you all that when he asked about peoples reaction to him he was amazed that his friends and family have come together on his behalf. Larry assumed that he would be forgotten and abandoned, judged and shamed. Larry has impacted all of our lives and personally I look forward to a day when we can all get together and be with him again in kinship.
ReplyDeleteI met Larry 18 years ago today. I didn’t know at that time that he would eventually become my brother but, he did. Over the years I got to know Larry as well as anyone – maybe even more than others. I quickly learned the he has a big heart. He is always willing to help, no matter what the task and he is generous to a fault. He’d give you the shirt off his back if you needed it (though the hair on his body might scare the crap out of you).
ReplyDeleteOver the years I’ve watched Larry go through good times and bad times. I’ve watched his health slowly go downhill. I’ve seen him struggle through failed and bad relationships. The thing I can say through it all is he never let anything get him down. Larry has always kept a great attitude. Larry is a gentle soul and for this terrible thing to happen there must have been extreme circumstances.
I don’t believe we are defined by one action. And certainly our character should not be judged on that one action. We are all defined on the sum of all of our actions. If Larry broke the law and committed this act in a brief moment of bad judgment then he should pay for his mistake but, I believe his character should be looked at as a whole. Larry is not a criminal. He is a decent, responsible, hard working member of society that made a terrible mistake. I pray that his character taken into consideration when he stands before the judge.
I know, as his brother, I stand with him no matter what the outcome.