I've come here with a story which I'm obliged to tell,
Of love and understanding and sympathy as well,
And when I've finally finished I think that in the end
You'll learn the definition of the common word, a "friend".

Some years ago an incident occurred to cause me grief,
A loved one died as all must die, but that thought was no relief.
Now many cards and letters came in the customary trend,
With names of people that I knew, 'cept one just signed, "a friend"

But this card was much different, not the usual store bought kind
Like the thousands more just like it in most any store you find,
The paper was from a notebook, cheap, ruled, and torn in two,
With pencilled, neat but mispelled words, with punctuation due.

The grammar was attrocious but the loving thought was there,
As it offered me its sympathy and ended with a prayer
That I might find some solace till the day my grief would end
And my teardrops fell like raindrops at the signature, "a friend".

I reread the card intently until the final word
As with puzzled frown I wondered if my inner thoughts were heard
And answered by a stranger, one on whom I could depend,
A true unselfish sharing one, a wise and honest "friend".

Now every day I scan each face I pass by on the street
And wonder if that one's my "friend", so every one I meet
I try to treat with kindness and so doing not offend
Unknowingly, unwittingly, my undiscovered "friend".

And yet I often wonder if that "friend" was from above,
The One to teach me quietly the benefits of love.
To teach me what I should have known but didn't comprehend,
The world would be much better if we called each other "friend".

I used to be self-centered, only thinking of just me
Until that mystic card arrived with love and sympathy.
And I have since discovered, to cherish till the end,
The most important gift received, love from an unknown "friend".

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