Make new
friends but keep the old;
one is
silver and the other gold.
When a chance of something good comes
along, one must drop everything and take it!
I had that chance tonight, and it needs to last in my memory a while. A friend I’ve known since we raised our
babies together came into town yesterday to help her daughter (my son’s age)
organize a household for movers. I’ve
had the pleasure of seeing this old friend several times in the past two years
while her daughter lived here, and now she’ll be gone again. We live far apart and just don’t have the
opportunity to see each other often, although we call and e-mail often.
My friend and I met in one small city, and
then happened to move to Kansas City at about the same time with our
husbands. Soon enough we had children,
and spent many days together, watching the children play while we talked and
talked, and then talked some more. We
had being young mothers in common, but somehow it seems more important to say we
were/are reading buddies . I suppose
there were book groups then, but we became our own group. So many years ago, even more magazines
published fiction like The New Yorker,
so we also read Redbook, Atlantic Monthly and The Saturday Evening Post. We read all kinds of books and avidly
discussed them. We had wonderful times
with husbands, with our children and talked endlessly about every thing on the
planet, and we read.
Tonight I drove across town, saw a beautiful
sunset, and spent three marvelous hours with my friend and her daughter. It was a pleasure to start right up talking,
talking, about books along with everything else. We cannot keep up with all the
threads that make up the tapestry of our lives, but we will continue to follow
one or two threads once in a while.
It
is a golden gift to have such a friend.
 |
| just starting west |
 |
| almost there |
Yes, what a blessing to have such a friend!
ReplyDeleteI know it! Thank you.
DeleteYou summed up the magic of a "real" friend so nicely in this piece. A real friend is someone who shares your interests and dreams. It is someone with whom you can strike up a a ddep and meaningful conversation even if it has been a long time. I felt like I was there!
ReplyDeleteThanks Anita. Isn't it rather a mystery how it happens, though? We are so lucky when it happens.
DeleteMy favorite line "We cannot keep up with all the threads that make up the tapestry of our lives, but we will continue to follow one or two threads once in a while." This is so true. What a special evening to savor in your memory!
ReplyDeleteThanks Elsie. It is a special relationship.
DeleteSounds like a special friend and a special night. We have to take the time to enjoy those moments when they happen. Glad you shared yours.
ReplyDeleteThanks Deb. It was such a good time that I really wanted to capture it.
DeleteI agree with Elsie, that was my favorite line too. Friendships are to be treasured, and the old ones most of all. Glad you got to spend some time with your friend last night.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Katherine. It was a wonderful evening!
DeleteWhat better way to spend an evening - friendship, talking, talking and talking some more. I'm so glad that you shared your evening with her and with us. Thanks
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome, Judy. It was a wonderful time with my friend and her daughter.
DeleteI like the "pleasure to start right up talking." It's easy to understand how spending an afternoon with a friend who is a golden gift can't be called anything less than wonderful.I sincerely hope that your next meeting isn't too far away.
ReplyDeleteThank you Terje, I hope we will be able to get together more often too.
DeleteI am glad you got to spend time together. May new opportunities to get together be on your horizon.
ReplyDeleteThanks Ruth. Nice to hear from you! It's been a while.
DeleteLovely slice - moments like this are what we all need to remember.
ReplyDeleteThanks-I agree-warms my heart, Maria.
DeleteTrue friendship is forever. So glad you had the chance to get together again. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Jama. It was a special time.
DeleteWhat a lovely way to spend your evening.
ReplyDeleteYes, it was very nice, and over all too fast. Thanks Betsy.
DeleteSounds like a beautiful friendship, Linda! I have been guilty of being too busy and not tending to the flowers in my friendship garden enough. I should do something about that. Thanks for the reminder :-)
ReplyDeleteIt is important to tend that garden, I agree, Tabatha. I am grateful for my friends. Thanks.
DeleteYou are such a gifted storyteller, Linda. Your choice to include those photos, to title your post the way you did, and the beautiful language (especially what Elsie pointed out...thread sounds so familiar, is it your one little word?) all add up to a stunning slice. It is as special as your friendship.
ReplyDeleteThanks Christy. Your words make me feel very good. No, it isn't my OLW. I'm sorry that I just ran out of steam doing that. It was fun for a few months, but just couldn't keep it up.
DeleteThe quote you started with I learned as a song when I was a Girl Scout. We sang it as a round. So your wonderful story was accompanied by that musical remembrance. The words of that song are brought to life in your words. I have found them to be increasing true in mine. Friends are a treasure-silver and gold.
ReplyDeleteHi Kim! I think I used to sing it too as a Girl Scout, but also in school. I remember it well, & it seemed so appropriate here. I'm so glad you connected with it. Thank you for telling me.
DeleteHi Linda, I couldn't agree more. I've been blessed to have beautiful friends with whom I could talk for hours on end - doesn't matter how long we've been apart, we simply pick up where we left off, and there's always beauty and quiet joy in that. What a lovely tribute to your friend, Linda. I'm sure they feel blessed by your friendship as well.
ReplyDelete