It's the Friends!

I was in the mountains (Blowing Rock, NC) this weekend with my Moa Boa friends (See 10/6 post), which means that I did not flip the page on my calendar from October to November until the month was already two days old...

As soon as I saw the quote for the new month (above) -- the month of Thanksgiving -- I was struck by its simple truth...


This weekend was such fun -- We always have fun, whether at the beach, in the mountains, or right here at home. And we always have food. Enough that none of us would be hungry if we didn't leave our quarters for a week or more! We prepare food ahead of time, we prepare food together, and then we go out to eat food that has been prepared by others. We love to eat, and we talk a lot about food. But it never is the food that matters!

It's so obvious, it really doesn't need to be said. (I'm going to say it anyway, of course.) It's the friends who matter...

It doesn't matter if one of us is sad because she's lost someone she loves, or distressed about a family situation. It doesn't matter if another one is worried about her health, her marriage or her finances. It doesn't matter what burdens any of us may be carrying inside...When we are together, we feel loved and supported by one another. We may cry; we may complain. (We will definitely eat.) Then we may laugh until we cry, and cry until we are laughing again. Through it all, there will be a deeply felt joy that is shared because of everything else that we share.

Of course we share food and recipes. We share stories. And we share ourselves. That's what matters. That's what we have to be thankful for. I want never to forget that!

Thank you, my wonderful friends, for the gift of yourselves -- I love you all!