Where words fail, friendship speaks in silence. You hold my hand And walk with me, Through valleys deep And over mountains steep. Just your presence It's like the sweet fragrance. Of a flower so beautiful. You understand; you care. You know my heart's desires. That's all that matters. Not the incessant chatter. Our friendship Spans distance and time. The silence is not jarring. It's really quite becoming Of two friends who need no words, But simply know That each is there For the other. It's a silence. More precious Than silver or gold. It's as warm as the morning sun. Not icy cold. For where words fail, Friendship speaks in silence.

    As a schoolgirl, I received feedback from my teachers on classwork and homework. It was either an appreciation of the work or that there was room for improvement. I took the feedback very seriously, as my parents did, and acted upon it accordingly. “Keep it up” meant I was to continue producing work of the same quality or even better, and "could do better’ and “room for improvement” meant I had to still get my act together. I appreciate the dedication of my teachers, who so painstakingly read and corrected my work and gave me feedback on it. (I have preserved an answer paper marked by a favourite teacher and proudly display the picture.) Well, the concept of judgement or criticism never occurred to me. Whatever they said was Gospel truth. The feedback continued in college and even when I was training to be a teacher during our practical lessons. All remarks, whether it was school, college, or the B.Ed., were made with that dreaded red ink pen. Today, feedback has t...

 Envelope   I'm but a simple sheet of paper, folded and fashioned into a paper holder or cover for documents, money, greetings, letters, etc.  I’m usually functional and plain and not someone who would attract a lot of attention. You’ll find stacks of me in stationery stores and in your homes. I also usually live quietly in drawers, cupboards, or shelves to be picked up and used.  As I mentioned earlier, I have been created from paper and come in varying sizes and shapes. Some of my siblings are fashioned to be pretty and fancy because they carry gifts. I feel important and good about myself because I am a means of human connection. I convey both good and bad news, letters of acceptance and rejection, messages of hope, promise, disappointment, and everyday matters.  I get sealed, stamped, and sent off—I’m quite the traveller too, journeying on ships, trains, and aeroplanes across land, air, and sea. My journeys are not glamorous. I travel in bags and p...