"The first time I saw Robert he was sleeping. I stood over him, this boy of twenty, who sensing my presence opened his eyes and smiled. With few words he became my friend, my compeer, my beloved adventure.
When he became ill, I wept and could not stop weeping. He scolded me for that, not with words but with a simple look of reproach, and I ceased.
When I saw him last we sat in silence and he rested his head on my shoulder. I watched the light changing over his hands, over his work, and over the whole of our lives. Later, returning to his bed, we said goodbye. But as I was leaving something stopped me and I went back to his room. He was sleeping. I stood over him, a dying man, who sensing my presence opened his eyes and smiled.
When he passed away I could not weep so I wrote. Then I took the pages and set them away. Here are those pages, my farewell to my friend, my adventure, my unfettered joy."
-Patti Smith on Robert Maplethorpe
I love the way she writes about her relationship with Robert. I feel like I can relate my own experiences with certain people to the friendship and love that they had for each other.
Some people, you just love no matter what, unconditionally. And that's that. You can go away for a while, mentally, emotionally, or physically, but sooner or later you find each other again
and it's just...good. Maybe the context of your love has changed. It doesn't always have to be romantic love. Perhaps it has morphed into a beautiful mutual friendship or maybe it's just a quick loving smile between you two in passing. This person, this presence, is a strange comfort, but a wonderful comfort nonetheless.
{Patti and Robert}
