Restorative Friendship: this kind of loving restorative friendship is rare but it is the kind of friend we all should strive to be. In the film, Chocolat, an outsider enters a beautiful French village and opens a shop with her meager funds. She wasn't a religious person so she was gossiped about in the little village where church was more of a ritual and a social event. I find her situation so sad mainly because my faith is so important in my own life. We must be about the business in our faith of loving others....truly! In life, talk does little to refresh one's spirit. Unconditional love seems to be the answer. Her little shop became a haven for the unloved and wounded in spirit. She used the resources that she had, though meager, to accept, love, and repair what had been broken in others. It worked! The entire little village was changed because of her choice to act instead of just talk. Oh, how I pray we can leave our own selves for a short while and act on behalf of those who are hurting. If we could.........the world would be a more wonderful place! Love someone today without any expectations and trust God's power to change the situation! Everyday is a gift!
