My Best Friend Donnie

When I was five years old, my family moved across town to the south side of Jacksonville. So my first day of school, was a terrifying one for me. When my Mom took me she saw a kid from the neighborhood named Donnie. She pointed him out to me in an effort to make the whole experience less frightening. I am not sure, but I do not think that we became friends at that time, but early on, we did.

Donnie and I did everything together. Climbing tall skinny pine trees to the very top, and then rocking them till they cracked and fell, us screaming with joy as we rode them down. We built forts in the woods, hunted squirrel with our BB guns, and even terrified a grounds keeper one day when he ventured out in the woods to see what we were doing, (He found himself staring down the barrel of two BB Guns as we defended ourselves).

As we got older, we also got into trouble together. There are so many things to tell, but can only be expressed with the phrase, “A lifetime friendship”. There were good times, and bad, but through it all, we were best friends. I have never doubted that Donnie would give the very shirt off his back to help me, and I the same ( I hope he has gone through life knowing this).

Our lives have taken different paths over the years, And it is unfortunate that we have spoken very little in these later years, but I have no doubt that we are still the best of friends.

There are two stories that always come to mind when I think about Donnie:

1)When we were very young, we rode our bikes to a construction site of a very tall building that was nearing completion in height. At the very top of this building was a crane that extended in height by at least thirty to forty feet. The arm of that crane extended out over the edge of the building. We had a routine of climbing through an obstacle of different means to get to the top of that building, and that is where we would play. But one day we climbed to the top of that crane, and wow what a view. But Donnie, fearless and brave, and to tell the truth a bit crazy, he went out on the arm and was suspended out over nothing, at least thirty floors. He then began to do jumping jacks on that fragile crane arm… Hahahahaha, when I think about that sight, I just crack up. There was a police officer almost ten miles away, which we were able to see turn on his lights, and rush to the site. What fear he must have had, thinking he was going to find that crazy kid splattered on the ground. Those were the days.

2)The next thing that stands out in my mind, when I think about Donnie, is the time we spent, as adults, going around to all of our old partying friends, and telling them about Jesus. The nights we spent at the Drug Rehab Building, sharing our faith with so many others that had no hope, and thought drugs were the only way to fill that void in their lives. Getting saved was such a wonderful thing in my life, but I had eventually lost all my friends, but to my great joy, Donnie trusted the Lord, and once more we spent our time together, now instead of getting into trouble, we were serving the Lord.

I wrote this poem about the friend I found in my Lord Jesus Christ, but even now, when I read it again, I think about Donnie.

I have searched over mountains, and valleys so low,
this lifelong search has burdened me where-ever I go.
A hole in my heart that I have tried to fill,
but all the things that I have gathered, add up to nil.
Neither gold, nor silver, nor jewels that glow,
none of the money, it's happiness I know.
I tried drinking, and drugs, and philosophy too,
plenty of women, but nothing would do.
But there is a treasure that thrills the heart,
I know it, I know it, but where will I start?
What if I stopped here, with no answer to share,
are you wondering with me or do you even care?
I think you are, it is everyone’s desire,
the things of this world are like a big liar.
So what did I find that for you and for me,
would thrill our hearts just even to see?
It is You, My Friend, Your love and your care,
It is something deep inside I can take everywhere.
Gold, Silver, Jewels and Cash,
You can have it all, it just does not last.
But what you give, and I to you,
fills that empty place in our hearts so true.
Thank you My Friend, for laughing,
for crying, for loving, ...For being You.
MFL 2001

To my Best Friend and Brother… I Love You Man!