<Friendship> (M.I.L.K)

초등학교 에 들어간 입학식 첫날 한 애가 내게 좋은 친구가 되어줄 수 있느냐고 물었다.  그 때가 우리가 6살 이었다.  우리 둘 다 밝은색깔의 조끼 점퍼를 입었고  머리에는 앵무새처럼 머리핀을 꼽고 있었다.   “내가 어떻게 해야 하는데?” 라고 조금은 겁먹은 듯이 대답했다. 그날 너무 많은 일들이 이미 벌어졌다. 난 무척이나 조심스런 애이었다.  그애는 “나도 몰라!” 하며 겸연쩍 했다.  그러나 그건 친구가 된다는 것은 좋은 것이라는 의미라고 생각해 본다.

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I honestly don’t know how people can exist without friendship.  People to share their secrets, hopes and dreams.  Also people who will share humiliation, shame and loss.  People who will laugh with us over nothing, sing the same songs, read the same books or tell us what the rest of the world will not tell: that the new hair colour was a sad, sad mistake.

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How do they live – the people who are happy and proud to be so independent that they claim don’t need a friend?  Is it an act, and something born of necessity because they have found themselves friendless?  Is it a fear of confiding, of opening up?  A fear of being unashamedly natural in a world that seems to insist on role playing and acting as if all was going well even when it obviously is far from well?  Is there any dignity at all in being able to manage alone, in trying to be an island that doesn’t touch anything or anyone else? 

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-Maeve Binchy –  (M.I.L.K)  에서.