I had a lovely lunch with a dear friend today, and while there, I had the best soda I’ve ever tasted.  I didn’t know I could get so enraptured by a beverage, but I did.  If you’re ever at the Fountain on Locust in St. Louis, you must try the stonefruit phosphate.  The flavor mixes cherry and peach, resulting in a fizzy delight.

I delighted so much in my beverage, I decided to take a picture of it so I could blog about it, but my pictures just weren’t turning out.  My friend noted that the hue of the drink matched the color of the table and probably caused some weird reflections.  So without hesitation, she held up a napkin behind my drink so I could take a picture of it.

She didn’t have to do that.  I didn’t even ask her to do it.  She just did it because that is the type of wonderful person she is.  She also did it because she’s my friend.

I love and am loved by many, and for that I’m grateful beyond measure.  I don’t deserve the goodwill and love lavished on me, but I’m certainly glad about it.  It makes my life so very sweet.  That said, however, I don’t have that many friends – not many people have crossed into the inner circle of friendship.  That doesn’t bother me in the least.  The older I get, the more I recognize the hallmarks of true friendship, and the less I seek to have numerous friends.

One of the signs of true friendship is that the joy of the other brings joy to you, and you’ll go out of your way, even in small things, to accomplish even a fleeting moment of joy for your friend.  And my friend did that for me today in the simple act of holding up a napkin behind my beverage.