Friendship
In between the terms "fear" and "Friday," a dictionary has a definition for friendship. On the subject of friendship, an encyclopedia has a wealth of knowledge. All the definitions and statistics, however, fail to capture the essence of friendship. Words and hyperbole fail to convey the magnitude of this phenomenon. Friendship can only be learned via personal experience. It's a multisensory experience that touches on all of them.
Friendliness is clearly evident. An elderly couple sitting hand-in-hand in a park exemplifies this. When they contact, it's as light as a leaf floating in the fall air, but it's so powerful that even years of living couldn't separate them. Children's friendship can be evident in them sharing the final cookie. When two children are walking along on a playground, one of them places their arm over the other's shoulder. This is a serious matter. There are those who are looking for subtlety but those who can see friendliness.
Friendship is audible. As told by two friends who managed to get together for lunch in spite of their hectic schedules. It's not the words they use, but rather the tone with which they converse. Their voice has a distinct inflection. Those who are open to hearing it can hear the sound of friendship.
Even a light touch can evoke warm feelings of friendship. If you're lucky, you could get a high five in the halls of school, a pat on the back from a teammate, or even a wet lick from the family dog. It's a small gesture that reassures you that someone cares about you. More than words or gestures, touch is a powerful means of communicating As soon as it is made touch with another person's skin, it is immediately understood and says volumes.
Friendship is a flavor. It has the distinct flavor of fresh-baked bread, thanks to the time and care that went into measuring and mixing the ingredients, kneading them, and then watching them rise. When fresh out of the oven, the bread tastes better than its component parts alone. As her hands knead the dough or as she patiently waits for the dough to rise, the baker may be thinking about something else. This is the key ingredient, one that cannot be seen or measured. It's a taste of camaraderie when you eat it just out of the oven, slathered in butter.
Friendship has a distinct scent. It has a sweet, slightly burnt cookie scent, just like the ones your brother used to make just for you. When you return to your home after a lengthy absence, it smells like it has been there for a very long time. It reeks of a sandbox or a gym, and it's not pleasant. The fragrances of friendship are as varied as the people who share them. In the time, they are taken for granted, yet they shape the memories of friendship in the long run.
Finally, friendship is a feeling of the heart that transcends all other senses. There are no words or vowels or consonants in the language of the heart—all it's in the heart's language, regardless of how it's expressed. When we have a good friend, we feel like we've got the best thing in life: a friend.