A Better Friend

Addison sat cross-legged on the bedroom floor, surrounded by snapshots. "Look, Mom!" she exclaimed. "Here's another picture of me and Mousie. I really loved that old stuffed animal."As Addison shuffled through several old photos, her mother peeked over her shoulder. There were pictures of Addison swinging in the backyard, riding her first bike, and wearing a red Christmas dress. There were a number of pictures of her blowing out candles on birthday cakes. In many of the pictures, the little girl clutched a blue stuffed toy."Why did you love that grubby old bear so much?" asked Mom. She laughed. "It really was a bear, you know, not a mouse."Addison grinned. "I know, but I thought he looked more like a mouse. I guess I loved him because he was a good guy to talk to. He just sat and listened." Addison could remember times when she had sobbed about her hurts into the fur of her faded blue friend. "I told Mousie all my secrets, and he seemed to understand--even though he never could tell me so or hug me back," she said as she gathered the pictures and put them into a shoebox."We could both use a friend like that right now, couldn't we?" said Mom. "Yeah," said Addison. "It's been a little lonely since we moved here. There's a girl at school named Rani who I've gotten to know a little. I'm hoping we'll become good friends." Addison looked at her mom. "That reminds me--Rani invited me to come with her to something called vacation Bible school at her church in a few weeks. Can I go?""I think that would be fine, once I talk to Rani's parents," Mom said.Addison nodded. "Rani told me she learns about Jesus at church. She said He's her best friend. Maybe He'll be my friend too--and yours too, Mom." She picked up a photo that had fallen to the floor and looked at it. "Maybe He's the kind of friend we can tell our secrets and hurts to," she said. "The kind of friend who understands what we're feeling. An even better friend than Mousie." -Phyllis I. Klomparens