Old Mr and Mrs Maloney had been long-time friends with the local priest, so Mr Maloney invites the father around for some advice.
“Father, could you have a chat with my wife? She’s got a weak heart.”
The priest replies with a laugh: “A weak heart today is no problem. I’ve got a weak heart myself. It’s common.”
“Yes, I know Father, but you see, she’s been buying lotto tickets for decades and never won a cracker, but yesterday she won $10 million!
“I don’t know how to break it to her without risking her having a heart attack!”
“Leave it to me,” says the old priest, strolling outside to have a word with Mrs Maloney.
The wise priest begins “Mrs Maloney, you know these lotto tickets you’ve been buying religiously for decades? Just out of interest, what would you do if you were to win, say … $10 million?”
Mrs Maloney replies with excitement “Oh, Father! I’d give the whole lot to you!”
The old priest had a heart attack. I never said that story would have a happy ending. Who says money buys you friends, right?
The concept and variation in types of what we might call a “friend” is wide, even life changing.
I don’t know if you follow US politics, but since Donald Trump became president, I almost find their politics more interesting than ours … almost.
Trump’s Republicans won the recent mid-term elections, even though they lost the house of representatives.
Yet, in spite of the claims by the left and Hollywood (did I just commit tautology?) that they were certain to lose the senate, the Republicans actually increased their seats there.
Add to this that Trump lost far less seats in his first mid-term election than Barack Obama or Bill Clinton did, and perhaps the president has more “friends” than those on the left think.
Did those on the vocal left believe what they were saying, or were their comments just wishful thinking?
I’m musing that it may be something entirely different.
I think the left was banking on something that is unpleasant in human nature: people do not tend to back who they think is right; they tend to back who they think will win.
Why? Maybe we want to get with the strength.
Perhaps people only care about fair play if their snout isn’t in the trough, or they are not in on the rort.
My favourite humorous definition of a rort is “it’s only a rort if you’re not in on it”.
As Emerson said, the only way to have a friend is to be a friend. I take from this that we should support people in their trials. The old line “I’ll pray for you!”, is good, but too often it’s just a cop out from real action and proper support.
It’s harsh. And so, perhaps for equilibrium, we are unwittingly so sick of this cold-hearted trait that our heart feels compelled to rebel and always befriend or go for the underdog in any battle, sport or competition … so long as we don’t have a vested interest in the outcome of course.
So, what is a friend, and who in life really is on our side?
Whatever the definition, I think that if it doesn’t include “and has your back when things go wrong”, then it’s a completely inaccurate one.
As Emerson said, the only way to have a friend is to be a friend.
I take from this that we should support people in their trials.
The old line “I’ll pray for you!”, is good, but too often it’s just a cop out from real action and proper support.
When people feel they are alone or without support – or worse, their family or friends actively disown them for something they do or the beliefs they do or don’t hold – the person left alone can make the most dreadful mistakes. And I do not think they are entirely to blame for them.
At times, cutting people off to make a point or because you are upset with them may be a necessary course of action. But this technique only works for brief periods. If overdone, it can be a tragedy.
In the book of Genesis, God gives Adam his mission on earth. But before Adam can even begin, God says: “It is not good that man should be alone.”
Do you want good friends? Show up when they’re down.
Twitter: @fatherbrendanelee
