I Have this Sudden Urge to Sing "Friends are Friends Forever"...

At the risk of being accused of mood swings, I have determined in my heart to change the mood of this posting after the dark and dismal entry of last week. But actually it is not a stretch, because I am feeing a little more positive about all things. So the song from little Orphan Annie and Daddy Warbucks rings true…the sun will come out tomorrow.

My hubby took me away to the “Big City” as a late birthday celebration, and also I think he felt he needed an immediate call to action regarding my malaise. There we spent our day milling around in the malls and shops, drinking in all the sights and sounds and hustle and bustle of Christmas. I made it through the day with the purchase of only ONE snowman, so I am applauding myself at my great restraint.

Harv had planned a great surprise and had arranged to meet most-loved friends Doug and Carol for a supper extravaganza. I felt a little inkling in my heart that something was afoot. Most loved hubby was straying from his paths of predictability. I picked up on this and pounced like a jungle cat. I tortured him until he broke. He crumbled like a Breton cracker. To be fair to him, I gave him no choice but to sing like a canary or lie. And he’s a pastor people…there are rules about that sort of thing. Hubby was most miffed at me, but I was too busy happily looking forward to the joyous meeting with dear friends to concern myself with remorse and contrition.

We met at East Side Mario’s were bread was broken, soda pop flowed like fountains, and the Italian feast set before us did nothing in helping me achieve my goal of a narrower girth. It was excellent. But even more than the feast, the fellowship was what filled us up. It was the perfect and most wonderful combination of laughter, “catch up chatting” with far away friends, and the sharing of heart stuff…the stuff that digs a little deeper. We were definitely blessed, so thanks Doug and Carol. It was a pleasure as always.

What is it about good friends that can change a perspective from bummed-out to bliss? I have been blessed with friends that can immediately make me feel better and more able to face life simply by being in their presence. I am so thankful. Thankful for the times where I have been lifted up when I was feeling so down, thankful for the deep my-stomach-hurts sort of laughter, thankful for the good talks, and for comfortability in complete silence. I am thankful for a phone call when I wondered if anyone cared, a knowing look when we both just “get it”. I am thankful for memories to laugh at and movie lines to quote that seem just so fitting. I am thankful for my dutch-blitz-and-dixie-chicks-girls – I miss you!! I am thankful for traditions and things that we do with each other, just because we always do that with each other. I am thankful to know that there are those out there that love me, even though I am so pathetic at keeping in touch. I am thankful that even though this is a lonely job, we still have friends across the provinces who think about us from time to time. I am thankful that God give us friends. And I am thankful for Doug and Carol who reminded me last night off all these things that I am thankful for from all of you.



Do you feel this sudden urge to break into song? No? Well maybe it's just me...