It was and still is my pleasure to say, I have dear friends.
Friends that now stayed with me for twenty, thirty years. Friends that where there when my heart couldn’t stand any more. Friends that talked to me when I thought I was lonely because someone would not.
I am happy to have you, I want to say. But I am not doing this too often. The next generation teaches me to be careful and generous with words at the same time. More than once I was astonished how nicely they put their words together to make you feel warm and welcome.
When it was at me to express the same feelings, I had to overcome the feeling it would be wrong to give too much.
Not being wanted. Not wanting to be hurt or rejected? Of course these were the reasons. But when it is the other way around, I always regret people don’t find the courage to do so.
Die Symmetrie der Dinge 