Friends and Neighbors
A convocation of Larrys met on my lawn the other day...although I had only summoned one of them, so perhaps it was just a gathering. He was hauling away my riding mower, which had sprung a spring out of place, and the other had ridden over from across the street on HIS riding mower to catch up with his old friend. Everyone seems to know everyone here in the little town we've moved into. I told them I'm starting to think everyone in the town is name Larry; they guffawed appropriately and assured me it was "only the good ones."
I have found such kindness here. From the first days last summer, when it was a shocking 104 degrees and our lives felt as barren as the parched grass, we have been given abundant grace and help. As I remember each person who has told stories of their own struggles, brought cookies, helped move our ungainly furniture, checked out our water pipes-air conditioner-car-mower-etc, lent us "my" mower, sent cards, prayed, installed clothes line, left us alone, not left us alone, tilled our yard - I realize that although the concentration of them is unusual, I have always been given the gift of people.
One of the first and best is my sister. Writing more would fill several blogs. My brothers, my mother and father who later became friends...what a privilege to know such thoughtful, creative, funny people.
In high school I fell into a group of the best people in California: Andy, Jeanne, Andrea, Bob, Sonya, Roger, Jeff, Jennifer, Cindy...we did everything together, but the best were the beach parties. I can still smell the smoke and feel the cold Pacific night air, hear the Jan & Dean in the truck and see the flame-lit faces. I have been given so much more richness than I ever could have asked for, and that high school life was one of those gifts.
After college and through a career working in teams of passionate and compassionate, somewhat crazy
people, I have been privileged to know others deeply, to hear their stories and hearts and to receive their friendship.
I am so, so rich.
Fireworks are sporadically exploding around town. This Saturday I'll run a "4 for the 4th" that Mark and I ran last year; we looked around at the start line and told each other that by 2013's race we would know some of the people at the line. I do...not at all the way I expected, but the gift of friends and neighbors just keeps coming.
I have found such kindness here. From the first days last summer, when it was a shocking 104 degrees and our lives felt as barren as the parched grass, we have been given abundant grace and help. As I remember each person who has told stories of their own struggles, brought cookies, helped move our ungainly furniture, checked out our water pipes-air conditioner-car-mower-etc, lent us "my" mower, sent cards, prayed, installed clothes line, left us alone, not left us alone, tilled our yard - I realize that although the concentration of them is unusual, I have always been given the gift of people.
One of the first and best is my sister. Writing more would fill several blogs. My brothers, my mother and father who later became friends...what a privilege to know such thoughtful, creative, funny people.
In high school I fell into a group of the best people in California: Andy, Jeanne, Andrea, Bob, Sonya, Roger, Jeff, Jennifer, Cindy...we did everything together, but the best were the beach parties. I can still smell the smoke and feel the cold Pacific night air, hear the Jan & Dean in the truck and see the flame-lit faces. I have been given so much more richness than I ever could have asked for, and that high school life was one of those gifts.
After college and through a career working in teams of passionate and compassionate, somewhat crazy
people, I have been privileged to know others deeply, to hear their stories and hearts and to receive their friendship.I am so, so rich.
Fireworks are sporadically exploding around town. This Saturday I'll run a "4 for the 4th" that Mark and I ran last year; we looked around at the start line and told each other that by 2013's race we would know some of the people at the line. I do...not at all the way I expected, but the gift of friends and neighbors just keeps coming.
I can so relate to that gift of friendship too as God has been sending friends into my path, since my dad's death, that bring encouragement and just plain good opportunities to chat, catch up and remember great times. I had read something posted yesterday that said, "You don't lose friends, you just find out who the real ones are." That is so true! I know the Lord is going to bring you even more great people into your life Pattie! Love and blessings to you, Di
ReplyDeleteAwwww Pattie made me smiley-cry!! (: I love you, sister mine!!
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