Waiting patiently, he scans the never-ending surge of lunch patrons through the door. Traffic was kind to him and he felt fortunate to have arrived early and secured the table. As servers rush by, the breeze is flavored with the aroma of baked bread and the foods your grandmother prepared for Sunday lunch. Comfort food.
Then, he spots his friend. A quick acknowledgment from the friend as he waves off the hostess and makes his way to the table — an island for conversation for the next hour.
For a little while, two people with a special bond share their lives. Occasionally there is a theme for the day. But often the talk is a meandering path of intimacy and discovery, history and future. That’s the magic of friendship. A solid presence peppered by the breeze of surprise and newness.
Technology and the demands of today’s lifestyle have changed the way we practice friendship. Social media and the belief that forceful opinion is the stuff that glues us together is watering down our significant relationships with others. Crowded calendars push friends out. Instead of a delightful and welcoming breeze, our personal conversation often takes shape as a suffocating blanket or a furnace blast of rhetoric. Or, merely a platform for rapid-fire delivery of information.
Friendships wilt without the pleasant breeze. Although, true friendship, because of previous breezes shared, can weather almost anything.
Amen! I love lasting friendships that always seem to pick right up from the last time even though the last time may have been weeks, months or even years ago. Catching up, exchanging ideas, thoughts, opinions, concerns, warmth, struggles, victories and whatever else comes to mind. Never fearing judgement or that a confidence will be betrayed. Open, honest, conversation. Now that is friendship in my book. Face-to-face is always best but that can’t always happen. I look forward to the day of having that kind of conversation with you again, Joey.
Apparently, after writing this post, I completely ignored my site for a month and missed your comment, Ken! I hope to do better than that. I, too, hope to have time with you soon. Even though the majority of our face-to-face time was long ago, I still remember the lessons learned from conversations and experiences together. And I know that I would be blessed by filling in the gaps of time. Take care, my friend.