Keep the old. Isn’t that how the old saying goes? I couldn’t agree more. I’ve had an old friend visiting this weekend and am reminded how lucky am with the people in my life. I love to meet new people, but there is nothing like an old friend who knows everything about you but loves you anyway. I can tell when we’ve crossed over into that sacred space of deep friendship because then the conversation picks up just where it left off months, or even years, before. And the laughter…Things that otherwise wouldn’t be funny (like watching a terrible movie — Love and Friendship, skip it if you get the chance) caused us to roar with laughter. Why? Who knows, but it works.
Old friends commiserate. For sure. That’s job one as a good friend. They can always be relied upon to hate the people you hate, to agree that you’ve been done wrong, and to stand patiently while you howl at the moon about whatever is on your mind. But they don’t let you linger in self-pity like I sometimes want to do (DAMMIT!). They scoop you up, patch you together and send you back out into the world a little lighter, a little stronger, and a little happier. It’s not that they can’t see the problem. They see it, but also the solution. Or one of several solutions. Or choices that you can’t see or opportunities that you don’t imagine. They can see possibilities when I think there are none.
And that’s why I can’t do this alone. Thank God I don’t have to. Writing this blog has given the chance to reconnect with some old friends and it had frankly been too long. I don’t know why I don’t do this more. This is the good stuff and it is right there on the other end of the phone line. Do yourself a favor, call an old friend. Stoke those coals and rekindle the friendship. It’s cold outside, but its warm in here.
Boonedoggler 