My daughter’s little goldfish
are such good pet friends.
They’re always happy to see me
whenever I walk in.
If my coming is because
I bring freshly laundered clothes,
they always get excited,
swimming wildly to and fro.
It really is quite silly
to have a goldfish as a “friend”,
and for me to gush and say “hello”
whenever I walk in.
I even sneak upstairs
when no one is around,
when her goldfish are quite calm,
barely swimming up and down.
I make my grand appearance!
Yes … I have arrived!
What fun to see her goldfish
totally come alive!
Does it make me feel important?
Maybe just a bit.
Where else in life does my appearance
give someone such a fit? (Ha!)
It’s fun to be warmly welcomed,
even if it’s by a fish.
What if people were the same way?
I’m sure that’s what we all wish.
What if, when we showed up,
someone was glad that we came.
What if they were excited to see us,
and even knew us by name.
What if our appearance,
even though a total surprise,
were to be a big deal to someone,
and brighten up their eyes.
What if we needed a friend?
Would someone always be there?
Sort of like my goldfish “friends”,
which can’t exactly go anywhere.
We all should be that someone.
We all should be “goldfish friends” –
… always be there for others
… always there through the thick and the thin.
There are people all around us,
surrounded and yet so alone.
Does anyone know they exist?
Do they feel like their name’s even known?
If tomorrow they dropped off the planet,
would anyone notice or care?
Believe me, this is what people are thinking,
cause I have also been there.
Everyone’s struggling to get by.
Everyone’s having a hard day.
What an amazing difference it would make
if to someone we smiled and said “Hey!”
Goldfish don’t do much talking,
but they sure can listen a lot.
What if we were that “goldfish” someone
to whom others could share their thoughts?
What if we were a “safe place”
people could always come to,
to pour out their heartaches and struggles,
and be encouraged to keep pushing through.
The world sure needs more “goldfish friends”
calmly swimming around,
always constant and always encouraging,
to lift others up when they’re down.
So take a look around you.
Are you in a tank, or out in the sea?
You can be a “goldfish friend”
no matter where your place might be.
By: Amy Hayes
August 2013
