My husband said toward the end of his life, ‘Love and friendship are remnants of the earthly paradise.’ In this vale of tears, when we encounter so many difficulties, to have people you can call friends is such a joy, such a comfort, such a gift… We are meant to be united by a bond of love. Friendship implies that you have a clear vision of what the other person is called to be. You see that person with imperfections but you are willing to forget that.
-Alice Von Hildebrand, knighted “Lady Alice” by Pope Francis–
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In case you missed it, you might want to read this recent post where I also quote this above.