Having a best friend – the kind who loves you despite yourself, who will be there for you through thick and thicker, who adds a measure to your sanity (however questionable at times! Ha!) just by being present – I can think of few greater gifts.

The past three days were spent enjoying a girls’ weekend with my best friend. We require very little for our get-aways: books, a movie or two, daiquiris and a cheap but safe hotel are the makings of a perfectly content weekend!

This weekend, we watched the last Lord of the Rings movie, Return of the King. I had never seen it, and one thing that really struck me was the deep friendship b/w Sam and Frodo. They (literally!) went through heights, depths and fire together. They faced strains, encountered challenges at every turn, but friendship prevailed.

When Sam carried Frodo up the side of the volcano, propelled by the urgency of the task and not his own strength, it reminded me of the way I’ve been carried the past several weeks. I have had moments of mental and physical exhaustion, and I’ve not had to walk alone. I am so grateful.