For a Friend

Some people come into our lives
and leave footprints on our hearts,
and we are never, ever the same.

You were that kind of person.

You did not ask for admiration;
you simply showed up, again and again,
with kindness in your hands
and laughter on your lips.

You listened when we needed to talk.
You stayed when it would have been easier to go.
You were honest and gentle and true,
and the world was steadier because of you.

Friendship like yours is rare and luminous,
a quiet, shining thread
woven through the ordinary fabric of our days.

We will miss your voice, your counsel,
your presence at the table.
But we carry forward everything you gave us:
the courage to be kind,
the grace to show up,
and the knowledge that love between friends
is one of life's most enduring gifts.