Here's to friends, both near and far,
Who brighten up our days,
With help and kindness bringing cheer,
In oh, so many ways.

Without these ones we hold so dear,
Life wouldn't be worth living.
With gentle grace they lift us with,
The sharing and the giving.

Where others seek to tear apart,
Life's fragile, frail existence.
Our friends repair the angry wounds,
With steady calm insistence.

It takes a special person to,
Stand by through thick and thin.
When things go badly they console,
And cheer us when we win.

So here's to you, my trusty friend,
And you know who you are.
In deepest, dark of blackest night,
You are a shining star!