The Gift of Friendship

I was recently invited by a couple who I have known for some time to join them for Saturday dinner at their home. Because it was a warm evening we decided to eat on their deck and ended up spending several hours out there.\ Our time together consisted of sharing a beautiful meal and warm conversation. We talked and talked and talked and talked.

We talked about our families, work, health, interests, travel, and dreams. We shared information about things that we had recently learned of people who we all knew. Our stories were sprinkled with laughter and the shared viewpoint that life is good. At one point a neighbour yelled from her house across the street to announced that she was coming over to join us. And she did. The tall candles which burned down to tiny stubs were replaced by new ones. As the temperature dropped, we wrapped ourselves in blankets and continued the conversations. Finally, the evening came to a natural ending and I headed to my car for the short journey home.

It was a great evening. It wasn't about the food (although it was delicious). It wasn't about the setting (although the weather was as perfect as could be). It wasn't about the wine (we only had one glass each). It wasn't even about the conversation (although it was stimulating).

The evening was about friendship. It was about sharing and caring and enjoying each other. You see friendship is a rare treasure that we must hold onto with a deep sense of awe and thankfulness Yes, it was a great evening. And no wonder we parted with the shared idea that we should do this more often.