Monday, October 15, 2012

A Golden Time

       The Slices of Life are hosted each Tuesday by Ruth and Stacey at their marvelous blog, Two Writing Teachers.  Come join us!  


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

29 comments:

  1. Yes, what a blessing to have such a friend!

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  2. You 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!

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    1. Thanks Anita. Isn't it rather a mystery how it happens, though? We are so lucky when it happens.

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  3. My 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!

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  4. Sounds 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.

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    1. Thanks Deb. It was such a good time that I really wanted to capture it.

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  5. I 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.

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    1. Thanks, Katherine. It was a wonderful evening!

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  6. What 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

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    1. You are welcome, Judy. It was a wonderful time with my friend and her daughter.

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  7. I 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.

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    1. Thank you Terje, I hope we will be able to get together more often too.

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  8. I am glad you got to spend time together. May new opportunities to get together be on your horizon.

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    1. Thanks Ruth. Nice to hear from you! It's been a while.

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  9. Lovely slice - moments like this are what we all need to remember.

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  10. True friendship is forever. So glad you had the chance to get together again. :)

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  11. What a lovely way to spend your evening.

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    1. Yes, it was very nice, and over all too fast. Thanks Betsy.

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  12. Sounds 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 :-)

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    1. It is important to tend that garden, I agree, Tabatha. I am grateful for my friends. Thanks.

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  13. You 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.

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    1. Thanks 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.

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  14. The 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.


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    1. Hi 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.

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  15. Hi 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.

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