"Life is lived forward, but understood backward. It is not until we are down the road and we stand on the mountain looking back through the valley that we can appreciate the terrain God has allowed us to scale.” Jill Savage

Thursday, June 25, 2009

The Elegant Gathering of White Snows by Kris Kadish


I'm reading a book I was going to take on my vacation - couldn't wait I needed something to read. It's by Kris Kadish. She's a feminist, an encourager of women, and a mother of two so I assume she has been married.

I'm not talking so much about the book or the story today. I'm talking about the journey of women my theme. She talks about women and friendship and it moved me and I started thinking of my own journey and my friends.

I have so lucky and blessed with dear friends.

Some I've had for a long time and some are rather new, some are here in Georgia and some are far away. Some I've met only once and some I've never met - blog buddies. I have one from high school who is in Texas now. I have one from college and she's in Minnesota now. I have two from my Lake Zurich days (JAS - my angel) in NC and another sweet friend is now in California, I have a close friend from church, I met one close friend though our sons when they went to school together, I've met some just by my own life experiences and I've been lucky enough to make them my friend. I have one from Iran and we drink Turkish coffee together and I have another one from Lebanon and we share hummus. I have one friend I worked with at school and she's now in Virginia, but visits me every year. I have a friend I met through our grandsons who now lives in NC - but she is moving back here in July! I even have one Mr. Mom friend. My niece and I are close as well as my sister in California. Although many of us don't live near each other - I sincerely value their friendship. Thank God for the Internet - it is a great way of staying in touch. Sometimes we write daily and sometimes we don't. Some times it's one line and sometimes it's a book. No rules.

Now I don't tell you this to brag about how many friends I have - I write this because I'm thanking God for them today. They are one of the biggest miracles or gifts in my life. I honestly don't know how I would have made it this far or become the person I am today without them.

When my life gets rough and things close in around me (and it does) - all I have to do is call or even think about my friends - the warm fuzzies we give each other - the caring we do for each other - the support we give one another. At times they're here for me and at times I'm there for them. We have gone through so much together. Kids, grand kids, happy times, tragic times.

I wonder if I had them all in one room would they all get along? Could we do this 'walk' the book talks about together? It would be the Gathering Of The White Snows Chatty style. Would we learn more about each other?

Are there secrets we don't know or haven't shared with each other?

Would we change or stay the same?

And why is it usually easier to befriend a woman than a man or even one of your own family members?

My friends have been the wind beneath my wings. They have been my miracle.

To me every hour of the day and night is an unspeakable perfect miracle.
-Walt Whitman

Love, Chatty

3 comments:

ClassyChassy said...

Your friends appreciate YOU, too, Chatty! As do I, even though we have never met in person. Blog comments are a great way to meet people, and emails are great as well. Hope we will meet in person some day! You're the BEST!

^..^Corgidogmama said...

You've expressed my feelings on this subject as well...very eloquently!

JeanMac said...

Someday we may get to meet in person - you have been a great blogger friend.