recharge woman

it's funny how certain things stick to you after hearing them just once.  in one of my favorite japanese soap operas, Pride, Kimura Takuya said to the female lead in the story that she was one of those women where people come to recharge. well, he said men but i think people apply best for what i think.  heck, it's my post so i can paraphrase however i want to.  he said that she was one of those women where [people] came to when they felt like they needed their energy refreshed or a refuge of sorts.  that's what i feel like sometimes.   especially when it comes to many of my friends, i feel that they come to me either for advice, to be listened to, or to feel a certain emotional connection that our relationship carries.  today i met with an old friend for lunch after church and it was sort of like that.  he is going through a number of things and we chatted about his life, his new goals/projects and everything in between.  he had been emailing for us to meet for a while so today between church and another meeting i had, i gave him a call and he ended driving from Wilmington to chat with me.  we went to Code 10--a cafe in the South End--and had grilled cheese with tomato sandwiches.  then we walked to the garden and sat there for a while.  i don't know that i was doing anything special and/or important but i do know that there was a need in him for familiarity, closeness and space to relate.  it's weird sometimes when you know that someone needs you but not because you can offer something in particular but because there is a level of closeness and understanding that you have which that person needs at that moment.   this friend and i can spend years without seeing each other but for some reason he always ends up coming back. i don't know why.  every time it feels as if time has not passed and we have the same rhythm and fights that we had about 10years ago when i met him in church.  it's funny.  he is extremely arrogant, always thinking too highly of himself and dreaming all these big things.  my job is to bring him down to earth and remind him of his "hubris".  it's really funny.  irrespective of that, he is my friend.  i made a decision long time ago to be his friend, regardless of what i thought were flaws that i just couldn't accept.  i don't know why God brought him to my life but to the extent possible,  i will continue to be there when he comes back.

i don't know that i am one of those "recharge women" that Kimutaku mentioned in this drama line, but i certainly feel like it many times.  there always seems to be that time when my friends drift away but keep returning to me for a friendship "recharge."  it makes me wonder why they keep coming back?  it puzzles me why i keep being there when they do.  i guess it's part of interpersonal relationships and a commitment to a friendship that you want to last a lifetime.   i guess i would like to be one of those 'recharge' women but at the same time it's scary to always be there for people but not necessarily have them be there for you.  at the end of the day, i guess i have to analyze my motives and see.  hmmm...