~ kaka Lucas, Fri. 29 April

Being a missionary and Living in a foreign land I have been “forced”to make friends. Making friends isn’t a problem though since I am a Capricorn. But being both introverted and extroverted it can sometimes be challenging. I will not lie to you, I have met some great persons in my life who have gone out of their way to just being friends, friends who have embraced me within their family. I will never regret having met them. Naaaaaa! Not even you my reader ………. I have also met PEOPLE who though started by being friends, they turned out to be my biggest enemies. Many of them I have nothing against, I have learnt to let them go. However there’s a very few I’m still working on my healing towards them.

Living in a foreign land has taught me to choose friends who are willingly, intentionally and desirous to choose me back. This normally takes time, and one step after another which I don’t mind.
In life, it’s healthy to choose someone who will have not second guess choosing you from a crowd. They’ll choose you right away, right back with no eye twinkling.

Being in this country for more than eight years, I have chairs at certain tables and rooms in some household. These friends have invested in me, and they may have no regrets if I choose to change my name to theirs.

Some environments we live in aren’t conducive and some people around us can be toxic. These FRIENDS see all that and they intentionally choose to lift you higher in those “moments”. Lift you high enough to enjoy the breeze up there, let you relax. Make you laugh louder and to the point of almost breaking your rib. They keep you close to their bosoms until you start to breath lighter and come alive a little more.

When all this can’t work, or it has little help. They step back, keep the circle intact so that you are safe and give you a space to be yourself. I love my FRIENDS.

Few are the times I don’t say what’s happening back home. For they are ready to stay late with me, that late night here when it’s morning back home, I can call and make sure all is ok. These FRIENDS love my people. They love them not because, they know me, but because they take time to know them too.

Sometimes I have to dodge my FRIENDS. They make every move I make count. Even the smallest one. The ones I think insignificant, for them it’s a call for a glass of wine.

As humans as we all are, sometimes we forget where we come from, where we are and where we are heading. That’s ok for you. But having friends who reminds you who you are makes life even more fabulous. I feel sweet saying this!

During my last “lap in formation” it was getting weary, and I was ready to throw in the towel. But a new FRIEND popped up on the shelves. I didn’t know they could be friends with foreigners like me. They were actually on the bottom shelves, little dusty and unseen. But to tell the truth, I was held back by the fact that I leant to have friends who believe the best in me.

I met another FRIEND like five months ago. They weren’t the best of choice. They were visible on my shelve. But I didn’t believe they would shield me when “arrows” of racism were being shot towards me. They too reminded me to choose FRIENDS who have my back when I am not in the room. This makes me feel like kneeling to someone and tell them thank you.

The millions of these friends that I have aren’t angels. I know that, and I am not waiting on you to tell me anything else. But that will not give you permission to hurt them. These FRIENDS are vulnerable and real. Real that they can be in my presence.

Now that I have these kinds of FRIENDS I tell you, be a kind friend and love those who are in the circle of your friends. In choosing new FRIENDS, CHOOSE those who’ll choose you right back.

Thank you for being one of those FRIENDS.