A young man started crying, he hid his face with both hands covering his face.  Asking about his sadness he shared about a good friend of his who moved out of the state.  He shared about his friend and what they enjoyed doing together.  They enjoyed hiking, playing basketball and talking about their friendship.  This young man was asked about what he enjoyed about his friend, he responded “He was interested, in what mattered to me.  He delighted in me, we listened to each other.  We were great friends who enjoyed time together laughing.”  He tears reflected a deep thankfulness for his friend.

Another question was asked, “Tell me about your relationship with your father.”  After hesitating for a few minutes, he said, “My dad was never involved in my life.  He was too busy working to provide for our family. He was kind, yet he never took any time to spend with me.”  When asked what he wanted to know from his father, he paused once more, pondering.  His eyes lit up, as if there was some clarity as he responded “I wanted to have a relationship with my father that I had with my friend.”

This young man realized that the relationship with his friend, reflected the longings he never knew from his father.  This man’s tears represented a grief about missing his friend and grieving what was missing in his father’s relationship.