Friends

I spent this weekend at a bed and breakfast with two of my best friends from high school and our husbands. We do this once a year and there is nothing like being with people who know you so well and have been with you your entire adult life (and part of your childhood as well).

One of my close philosophical friends asked me what "being a friend" means. The answer is: sharing some aspect of your life or your self with affection and truth. The affection part is palpable, the sharing makes it richer. Staying truthful is sometimes challenging over time and in different situations, but that's why it deepens the bond and makes close friends so cherished. When you've been together a really long time, as the group this weekend has been, the truth part is just always there. And of course the affection. And so there's a lot of freedom to be yourself.

We are ourselves when we're together, and those selves are really loud. We rent all three rooms of the b&b, and so we don't disturb anyone except the people who work there, but they seem to like us, so it works out. We tried a different place last year, but we disturbed the other guests. We've been too loud for the world for 36 years, we're not going to stop now!

They sang happy birthday to me at the restaurant, but I still have a few weeks of being 49. Thank God for cherished friends, cherished weekends, great food, plenty to drink and tarot cards.