Though originally written with a specific subject in mind, these words also ring true for everyone, and especially for those of us with kidney disease.
If time were a day, or a week, or a year,
and friends were the fluid that creates a tear;
Then life for me continues a dream . . .
Bear with me a moment, here’s what I mean.
I’ve lost a few throughout my life,
Some ’cause natural, others ’cause strife;
And through it all some things remain . . .
Life’s really not cruel, it just has some pain.
When we rise each morning, sun shining or not,
Don’t think of who’s gone, but think of who’s not;
And give them respect and warmth and love
to get through their day on the wings of a dove,
Or maybe an eagle, an osprey’s wing . . .
Give them something to make their hearts sing.
You see, our friends, through life’s perils and strains,
are always ours, regardless of pain;
Always seeing the good, forgetting the bad,
that each of us shows whether happy or sad;
Whether times are good or sometimes hard,
they’re there for us, they’ll deal the card
That’s best for us when we’re in need . . .
No questions asked, simply planting the seed.
The end of this piece is nowhere to be found,
’cause just like our lives, it flows ’round and ’round;
New friends will come, and old ones will go,
But the ones we know best continue to show
The need for our presence, the need for our trust . . .
Look around you, my friends, those folks are us.
About the Author
Jim Dineen was diagnosed with kidney failure in 1998. After three years on dialysis, he received a kidney in November 2003 from Joyce, his wife of more than 40 years. In June 2004, their story was featured in Reader’s Digest. It focused on how kidney disease dramatically affected their family and brought them closer together. As a speaker for PEPP (Patients Educating Patients & Professionals), Jim educates fellow patients on how best to live with kidney disease.
Last Updated March 2007