Friday, September 07, 2012

A friend in need?

One of the things that strikes me about the people who know each other through work and their businesses in and around Northern cities is they look out for each other. Friendships strike up between the unlikeliest people. As we become absorbed by our families, we may have less time for friends, even less for new ones, but we still meet people we grow enormously fond of.

We sometimes never know what troubles, what demons, can lurk beneath. All I have to say today, is this. If you know who I am, if we have shared time together, then you'll know I care about people. I look out for my friends and love my family. But if you're suffering, if you are agonising, and that you just need someone neutral to talk to, someone uncomplicated by longer attachment to you and whatever it is that's troubling you, and you do know where to find me, then do. I'm the father of five sons, so I worry about this constantly. There's a phrase that chills me: most men lead lives of quiet desperation. While I accept that men aren't very good at all this soft stuff, please, if you need a friend, then call me.

2 comments:

Laura Wolfe said...

Lovely Michael, lovely. Thank you for posting this.
Beautifully put.
Our conversation today stayed with me.
Love to you, Rachel and those precious boys. x

groovegenerator said...

Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way goes the song. In times like these, it's a tough gig. You make a good offer Michael and anyone reading this may not know but should know how really helpful that is.