David Whyte: ‘Friendship’

24-page manuscript book, Chinese ink on Zerkall paper with lino-printed and gouache illustrations, grey Canson endpapers, Somerset card cover, printed jacket. Gift to David Whyte and Gayle Karen Young

Here’s another essay, ‘Friendship’, from Consolations by David Whyte. I made this book as a wedding gift for David and Karen and in memory of the many dimensions to our friendship over the last 34 years. The essay touches on some of those capacities which are so important in sustaining such a long friendship but most especially how ‘All friendships of any length are based on continued, mutual forgiveness.’

Furthermore, there is no hiding in friendship - ‘In the course of the years a close friendship will always reveal the shadow in the other as much as ourselves . . .’

I feel that the same qualities are equally important in maintaining a marriage (for which, after all, the model may well be that of true friendship).