Friends

Years ago, I worked with a woman, whose name was Mary Ann.  She talked often about her friends. I don’t mean she gossipped. I mean that in talking about her life, I could see that she interracted often with women that she had relationships with. If she were having problems with her boss, for example, she’d say, “I talked it over with my friend Hazel and she suggested that…” Or she might talk about how her friend Joyce gave some insight that helped her with her unrully son.  This is what I felt when she talked: jealousy! I didn’t have those kinds of friendships. I also felt a little baffled. To me this woman was like a cupcake that someone had hallowed out but never got around to putting the cream center in. She was kind of whiny and lacked the deep thinking I thought I had.

Well, life has changed for me. I’ve had a few crises and reality checks. These experiences snapped me out of my head and made me aware of the feelings that are part of me. Through these difficult times, I found myself taking the risk to share what was happening to me with others. And lo and behold,  I found myself with a circle of friends…the kind Mary Ann had.

These are the friends with whom I just spent a weekend. I hope everyone reading this blog has such friends. If not, then that is my prayer for you today.