Silent Bonds

They met in the simplest of ways...

two young women, both in their early twenties.

One was single—full of dreams and full of faith.

The other one was married and a young mother.

She smiled often...but there was something in her eyes—

a quiet sorrow, carefully hidden from the world.

They became friends quickly.

They laughed together, prayed together—

shared hopes and burdens at times

Prayed together and shared stories too;

but, there was one burden that never made it into words.

The young mother was living through something terrible.

Her marriage behind closed doors was filled with pain.

She never spoke a word.

Not about her bruises, and not about her fear or pain.

She kept it inside—far from her children,

and maybe for hope.

Her friend didn't know her pain.

She never saw the full picture.

All she saw was her friend's faith and her strength.

Not even the silent suffering... and then—she was gone.

Her friend had died...gone far too soon.

The reasons were whispered but never explained.

But the loss was as real as can be.

Her friend was heartbroken and stepped in to help,

she visited the children and held the young one

too small to understand.

Braided her hair and brought laughter into the house

that was filled with grief.

She tried to be a light where there was now only dark shadows.

But then...

One day, the father said, "You don't need to come anymore."

And just like that, she respected his words.

but her heart never stopped caring.

She continued to pray for her friends' little ones.

While time moved on—and pain, left unattended, deepened.

The eldest daughter—the one with her father's eyes

struggled the most.

She tried to run, again and again.

Looking for freedom, for peace, and for anything else.

And...over the years

she even tried to end her life but never succeeded.

The neighbor noticed and called her family far away.

Little did she know that her life would be turned upside down.

Her grandmother came and took the girl home;

but was heartbroken because she could not take all.

She took her to safety and started her new life.

The girl hardly spoke while growing up

with sadness and weeping for her siblings.

She carried her story... alone and sad

while learning to one day at a time

fighting the battle of mind full of shame—

She grew up with her loving family and forgot about her pain and had her own family.

Years went by and one day,

By chance...or maybe God's design—

She went to church and a woman's name came up;

she looked to see, the kind women's face

the little girl's heart sank.

when she heard her soft-spoken voice.

Familiar, but aged by time.

The woman didnt recognize her.

With tear-filled eyes, she held her tight.

While smiling gently, she said:

I'm the daughter of your friend that died long ago.

I never got to say goodbye and to thank you for your help.

The woman was puzzled and froze

as the girl explained memories rushed back

They hugged.

Two souls forever connected

not by blood...but by God's love.

By compassion and presence in her darkest hour.

And in that embrace...

They both knew something deep and true:

That true love never disappears.

That kindness leaves a mark and that God uses even the shortest friendships

To carry His light into this world.

Thank you for always keeping my family in your prayers all these years. Will never forget you. H.L