The Simple Truth - Friendship
Geoffrey Larmer is a small town civil litigation lawyer who lives on the south shore of Trout Lake in the hamlet of Corbeil, Ontario with his loving partner, Angela, and their two aloof waterdogs, Juno and Emmett. He has no expertise in anything of importance. He enjoys watching human evolution with all its faults and frailties. He loves skim milk cappuccinos with cinnamon, watching action movies and reading Calvin & Hobbes.
The Simple Truth - Friendship
We met in middle school, through friends of friends. We shared a fondness for things that were downright goofy. Through high school, we became better friends and spent more time laughing about nothing in particular than anything else. He was quickly becoming my best friend.
Then he moved south of the border in grade 12 with little fanfare. I missed him but didn’t really invest much time into figuring out why. To his credit, he stayed in touch. He made the effort. And I am glad he did.
He moved back to Canada where we attended University together. We were roommates until we graduated. Then, we lived and worked in the big city for a few years, never going a few days without touching base. Eventually, I returned to my hometown, got married and started a family. He found his soulmate around the same time and did the same. We were the best men for each other at our weddings.
We helped each other through very difficult times. We were always there for each other and we never had to ask for help. When he arrived without notice at my Mother’s funeral at the very last minute to help carry her casket, I never reflected on how much he meant to me. That reflection would come later, much later.
It came today.
He reached out to me last week because his son was turning 18. He wanted to write him a personal letter providing him with guidance as he transitioned to manhood. He asked me for any words of wisdom that I could share, so he could incorporate my thoughts into that very special letter. I was honoured he asked me to contribute to something so personal. I didn’t hesitate. I blasted off a quick email containing some of the advice I had passed onto my two boys, who were only slightly older. It amazed me how easy it was to write about love, loss and perseverance.
He wrote me back immediately expressing gratitude. He connected again with me today, very proud of the short novella of a letter he had passed onto his son and reflecting on our special friendship. He ended his communication with “I love you”.
I responded in kind. Because I do love my best friend. We have traveled through this life together with unconditional love and support for each other. He isn’t my cousin, my brother or my spouse. He owes me nothing, yet he gives me everything. We have walked together before this lifetime and we will walk together again in another. I know that.
This is the simple truth.
Be grateful for what has been given to you in this lifetime. Keep your eyes and your heart open. Take time to nourish those grounding, in kind, relationships that fill you up with joy.
Geoffrey Larmer
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