Usually, on Friday, I write a poem and post it to the Poetry Friday group I participate in. Then, I cross-post it to my Medium.com page. The cross-posting is relatively new – six months or so,. The Poetry Friday post has been a routine for years. I have taken breaks from this group but not posting today is not because I’m taking a break, it’s because I broke my routine.
I got up at 6:15, dressed, and was out of the driveway by 7 am thanks to my husband warming up the car for me. Usually, I’m not out of bed by this time. In ten minutes I was in the tiny town nearest us filling up with gas. My next stop was twenty minutes later to get money, a coffee, and a banana at a convenience store.
My GPS route on my phone told me I was still on schedule to arrive at 10:15 for coffee in the town where I used to live – where I lived for the last 23 years of my life. I pulled in at 10:17! Not bad. My friend, the one I was meeting, was already there, waiting for me. After a hurried trip to the bathroom (Did you call the urgent need to go when you were young, a hurry call?), we settled in to catch up on each other’s lives.
First the kids – I have three boys – she has three girls. They are all wonderfully unique, bright, and lovely humans. Then we started to catch up with each other. I really needed this coffee clatch. My friend and I have a lot in common. We are both intense, bright, curious, and sensible women. We notice things about ourselves and others because we are overly observant, which means this is both a curse and a blessing.
But, we can pick up right where we left off. And, there is no shortage of things to talk about. We’re both crafty, looking for projects and things to keep our minds and hands busy. We both like to help others and we both are fiercely loyal to our families. In addition, we’ve both reached a point where we can say – I am my authentic self and if you like me fine – if not, that’s too bad but I’m not going to spend time worrying about it.
We ask about each other and what we are doing besides being mothers and wives. It’s important to ask. It shows interest, in both that you remember what the other person is involved in and likes to do, as well as showing them you care. We hear each other out. We don’t judge or question one another or even interrupt each other. We accept each other for who we are and validate that acceptance by lifting each other up, hearing each other out, and supporting the lives we are choosing to live.
This is so very important in friendship. This simple coffee date with a dear friend will keep me going for months.
So on this Friday, I deviated from my usual poetic postings. I sat with a friend. I listened, I talked, and I was a friend. I felt the warmth of true friendship. From there, I met my oldest son. We are spending some precious time together tonight. I’m fortunate that I can have these people and times in my life. So there is no poem. Just gratitude and love. It’s enough. It’s always enough.
The Apples in My Orchard 