How, when, and where can one meet this Friend of every heart? My guess is that there are as many ways of meeting him as there are human beings in the world. I have heard of people who met him unexpectedly in near death experiences, during illnesses, or at crossroads in their lives. Some of these people saw and heard him, while for others the experience was less direct but no less meaningful. For example, they heard his voice or sensed his presence in the words or deeds of a friend or a stranger. I have also read of people meeting him because they earnestly desired it. Whether we are conscious or not of wanting to meet him, I believe his wish for the encounter is always present, but he never forces himself upon us. I have always felt complete respect from him for my freedom, both inner and outer" (from Friend of My Heart). To open this book is to open yourself to the possibility of an extraordinary meeting. For this is the story of such a meeting, and it is one that can happen to anyone who wants it. The book begins as each of us must begin--with a declaration of hope, heartfelt longing, expectation. Gathered from more than twenty-five journals over twenty years, the messages in this book invite us to listen in the spirit of simplicity, openness, and faith, and then to be attentive to what stirs within. First comes the question: how, when and where can one meet this Friend of the heart? The answer comes from the author's experiences and the messages she has received inwardly. Made deaf by illness at the age of six, Claire Blatchford speaks to us about how to listen and how to hear from our own inner and outer lives. These are primary messages, put into the context of the author's life, that enable us, in the context of our own lives, to enter into a relationship with this Being who is the Friend of every heart. Friend of My Heart leaves us with the profound sense that we can all stand truly as our own selves in the presence of love. C O N T E N T S Foreword by Christopher Bamford Preface Meeting Right Here Hearing Listening More about Meeting Him Breathing Seeing When We Are in Pain Work with Him About Work Working with Others Work Within Working with the Dead Not Knowing and Going Naked A Final Posy