22/07/2022
THE FRIEND WHO SLOWLY DIED....
Today, I received some bad news,
About the passing on of a dear friend.
I feel ashamed to call my friend dear,
Because I saw my friend slowly die and I did nothing.
It began some time back, when I noticed my friend stopped smiling.
Though I noticed, I never asked what was wrong.
We live in a day and age of everyone minding their own business.
My friend's well being should be my business.
Then I noticed my friend disappearing online.
My friend stopped posting, was nowhere on social media.
I never bothered to ask why,
I was busy connecting with those who are active.
Then my friend stopped coming to church,
I never followed up why the absence.
"I don't beg people to come to worship" I thought.
Then I started hearing stories about my friend,
In fact, I ganged up with others to gossip about my friend.
We gossiped as if we are experts of how my friend should live. I gossiped, instead of reaching out.
When I scrolled through my phone book list,
I passed my friend's contact.
I waited for my friend to speak to me first,
Knowing very well my friend seemed to be going through something.
When my friend did call, I ignored.
I failed to reply the messages, too busy.
Or maybe I thought my friend was calling to ask me for money, Based on the gossip I was told.
I used to pray for my friend,
But slowly I stopped.
It appears that out of sight,
Out of prayers.
Then today, I get told my friend has died.
My friend all along was struggling, feeling alone,
Yet all I did was nothing and make assumptions.
My friend was stressed, depressed then committed su***de.
Here I am asked to give a speech at the funeral,
Yet the tears I cry are for how I failed my friend when my friend was still living.
My friend is not coming back for me to love better,
Maybe if I cared things would have turned out different.
Look back and see the friends you have pushed away, ignored or taken for granted.
Call up that old friend, care for a friend.
