TELL HER ABOUT IT

So, why am I quoting Mr Billy Joel? 
Well... why not? 
I might not be reaching the dizzying heights of Socratic erudition with this post, but never mind...  

This afternoon I left the opulent comforts of Chez Buffy to go for a hearty luncheon with one of my oldest friends, whom I call 'the Angel' [hmm... I seem to have pet names for all of my first-rate chums]. 

The lady in question is a year older than myself, and I've known her for 18 years, ever since we were contemporaries at college: Angel was a very clever and successful student. And me? Well... that's not important right now. ;-) 
Very early on, we discovered that while we didn't find the other repulsive, neither did either of us fancy the other: this made it very easy to pursue a friendship. 

Anyway, today, the Angel was late arriving [as usual], and was very klutzy [as usual], and took up a good chunk of time deciding on what to order before having her usual... as usual. 
[After all these years, such things are integral to the Angel's immense charm.] 
We're very different people: she's married, with a child, and has a life of rampant chaos, while my own brand of [bachelor's] chaos is within very ordered boundaries [as is my paradoxical way]. Quite importantly, we've both suffered with deep depression and have experienced anxiety to differing degrees... this is what's reinforced an already strong bond.

We had lots of fun this afternoon. Hearty laughs were plenteous. 

As we went to part company, I decided to 'seize the day' and say something I've not said before. [I'm not sure why... maybe it's the result of immersing myself in the blogging world? It's certainly been inspiring so far.] As we had our goodbye hug, I whispered into the Angel's ear, and my words were precisely chosen: 
You are the best person that's ever been in my life.

[It's the kind of thing you can only say the once, really.]

Well, the Angel was rather touched, I must say, and hugged me just that little bit tighter. But I didn't say it for any reaction... I said it because I just felt it needed to be said. 

So you're probably thinking, is there a point to all this, Buffy?
Yes, there is. 
Just as I think it's important to give a smile to people we pass every day [because, after all, we don't know what kind of dark day they could be having] I think it's equally important to remind those that we love & care about, that we love & care about them -- and appreciate them.

It's a dark and heavy world sometimes, and even with our closest friends we might not fully realise if & when they're going thru a hard time, and are keeping it to themselves. And even if they're not, is there any harm in being told you're appreciated? 
 
So I say, if you appreciate someone, tell them about it.
We can only do some good, surely?