Mary Mike at Writers Night Out

Tonight, January 14, I attended Writers Night Out where my good friend, Mary Mike Keller, was featured reader. She did an excellent job and looked beautiful. She is one of my favorite poets, but you aren't likely to see any books coming out with all of her work. She seldom submits her poems but enjoys writing and sharing them with her friends at readings and with her family.

I call her Mike, and although we are distant cousins from our Posey lineage, sometimes I feel she is more like a sister. Don't you enjoy having a special friend to whom you can talk openly and pour out your heart to her and know she will keep it to herself? Mike is the kind of friend who lets you cry when you hurt and doesn't act like it makes her uncomfortable. She doesn't try to change the subject because she doesn't know what to say.

Mike has felt sorrow herself and seen pain in others. She doesn't shun feelings. She embraces them.
I have learned over the years to let myself feel all the emotions welling up in me, hurt, pain, sorrow, and happiness and joy. I give myself to my feelings and let them out. I'm told that makes for a healthier person and I truly believe that. Keeping pain, fear, guilt or anger pushed down inside for too long causes physical and mental illness.

We all need friends like Mike who have such empathy. And we need to be the same kind of friends to others.