Painful Sacrifice...
"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."
John 15:13
Jesus Christ remains the greatest model for real, unconditional, agape love. This kind of love is in short supply these days, but then when we meet such, we must value and reciprocate it.
Anna is Nina's friend. They've been friends for yonks. Too long to be exact. They share this beautiful bond. Nina's likes are Anna's likes. Even in marriage, Nina does virtually everything with Anna; You know, gossip, swimming, shopping, and whatever you could think of. Nina is married, Anna isn't. There should be a tad bit of distance, but there isn't. Their mutuality has been deepened way before BC.
It's a day to Nina's wedding anniversary. Anna pays Nina a visit. They talk, and laugh hysterically to each other's boring jokes. Whatever tickled their fancy? The wedding anniversary, maybe. Amidst their unending conversation, Anna says, "I hope you know I'm not coming? My last birthday, you said you couldn't come cause you were with your husband's family." Nina is pained. Excruciatingly pained. She laughs to slide the pain off.
It's the wedding anniversary. Everything is all set. Anna is absent. Nina goes to the bathroom to cry, comes back, and dine with other members of the family. She texts Nina a couple of times. No response. She heaves a deep breath, sighs, and vows to never see Anna again. She mentally darns the friendship in Anna's absence. I mean, what a nerve has Anna! Her act is unforgivable. Totally unforgivable.
It's a week now, and Nina hasn't heard from Anna. Nina is troubled. Her mind isn't at rest. She decides to visit Anna. She meets Anna's neighbour, and asks, "Have you seen Anna, please?" The neighbour is shocked to the bones, and says, "Aren't you Nina, her friend whose anniversary was last week? She died last week o. She travelled to Onitsha to get some customized wrappers for you. She was involved in a ghastly motor accident. Here, here's a note she dropped while in the hospital."
Nina is shaking terribly now. She grabs the note hastily, and it reads, "Fish, happy anniversary. I love you and your big head. I doubt I'll make it out alive. With love, Anna."
Friendship is a conversation of the soul, it's not difficult to know True and fake friends because it proceeds from within and flows to the exterior. What type of friends do you have?
Can they sacrifice for you? Can they die for you?