Good Friends

There's something pretty wonderful about chilling.

When you have friends that can talk about absolutely nothing and everything over the same dinner and still leave smiling...it does something to boost your value. Tonight the table had four people: Lance and Saskia, our friends from Bryanston and Mario and I. A surprise dinner party for four... everyone else cancelled, making it a unique opportunity to "chill" with just the four of us.

We talked about heart issues; mainly our children. Lance and Sas have three under the age of eleven, we have four ...over the age of eleven. Our children took captive our hearts the day they were born and remain the only people that can shatter our happiness or make the world right with one word or gesture. When we look at the two of our friends, a young couple with three young kids...we can see ourselves a few years ago.

A few minutes ago.

The whole thing of our kids being kids went by so fast, like a blur...like a really fast drive through chinese dinner. Now we are watching from a distance as our kids grow and change and become themselves piece by piece. Lance told us today that he would like to see his kids more. We know exactly what he's saying... and he is far from an absent father.

Also we spoke about growing up ourselves. We laughed about the habits of our parents. We talked about people who were seeking God but were afraid of an organized church. Our pet peeves. Cake. Being real and vulnerable in this world.

So we parted, yawning and saying goodnight in a hemisphere that is welcoming winter. As they drove away, I was thankful. I am thankful for friendship, the delight of life no matter what stage of life you're in.