GOOD FRIEND
"Friendship is a living thing that lasts only as long as it is nourished with kindness, empathy, and understanding. --Anonymous
We had lunch yesterday with dear friends, Linda and Vic. They are both still working, very busy with elderly family members, and therefore, we don't see each other as much as we would like. But when we do get together, it's like we saw each other yesterday. Linda and Vic are like family.
Linda and I met many years ago in a writing class taught by a college professor. She came in that first day with a story about her Japanese grandmother's butterfly chair and I was blown away. She wrote tight. She wrote with so much emotion. She gave readers the lovely story and got out. It was amazing writing. She became an intricate part of the small group that had formed within that group. After two years of taking the same course over and over again, four of us decided to break off and form our own writer's group. Luckily, Linda agreed to be one of the four founders.
That group grew and grew after a few months, until it was sort of out of control. Too many people do not always make a good creative writing group. Eventually, we once again had a small class and, in addition, three of the four intial founders (one moved to Hawaii) met once a week in my home. I got so much out of that--especially from Linda's critiques--and my muse was running wild--in a good way. Then, reason still unknown, we were a group of two.
Linda has been my writing soulmate all these years. She has been a true friend, one who can take a red pencil to my work relentlessly and I accept that she is right more times than not. She has shown up at booksignings and talks on writing to support me. She has purchased my books, written reviews, and given me great blurbs for the back of my books. She has been that solid rock of a writer/friend I need.
And we can share all of our ups and downs, angers and happinesses--can laugh and cry on each other's shoulders. It was no different yesterday when we met. I listened to her working woes and she listened to the HOA Board messes, our travels, and Ray's health issues. And it was bittersweet to hug them both goodbye, knowing we won't see each other again until May.
But we'll meet there and it will be as always. Friends will pick up right where we left off yesterday. She will want to know all the scoop on the new publishing company I'm working with (maybe), and I'll ask about the possibility of her once more being free to meet at the mall for a critique session.
She has a book in her and I want to encourage her to get it onto paper.
That's what friends are for, isn't it?
We had lunch yesterday with dear friends, Linda and Vic. They are both still working, very busy with elderly family members, and therefore, we don't see each other as much as we would like. But when we do get together, it's like we saw each other yesterday. Linda and Vic are like family.
Linda and I met many years ago in a writing class taught by a college professor. She came in that first day with a story about her Japanese grandmother's butterfly chair and I was blown away. She wrote tight. She wrote with so much emotion. She gave readers the lovely story and got out. It was amazing writing. She became an intricate part of the small group that had formed within that group. After two years of taking the same course over and over again, four of us decided to break off and form our own writer's group. Luckily, Linda agreed to be one of the four founders.
That group grew and grew after a few months, until it was sort of out of control. Too many people do not always make a good creative writing group. Eventually, we once again had a small class and, in addition, three of the four intial founders (one moved to Hawaii) met once a week in my home. I got so much out of that--especially from Linda's critiques--and my muse was running wild--in a good way. Then, reason still unknown, we were a group of two.
Linda has been my writing soulmate all these years. She has been a true friend, one who can take a red pencil to my work relentlessly and I accept that she is right more times than not. She has shown up at booksignings and talks on writing to support me. She has purchased my books, written reviews, and given me great blurbs for the back of my books. She has been that solid rock of a writer/friend I need.
And we can share all of our ups and downs, angers and happinesses--can laugh and cry on each other's shoulders. It was no different yesterday when we met. I listened to her working woes and she listened to the HOA Board messes, our travels, and Ray's health issues. And it was bittersweet to hug them both goodbye, knowing we won't see each other again until May.
But we'll meet there and it will be as always. Friends will pick up right where we left off yesterday. She will want to know all the scoop on the new publishing company I'm working with (maybe), and I'll ask about the possibility of her once more being free to meet at the mall for a critique session.
She has a book in her and I want to encourage her to get it onto paper.
That's what friends are for, isn't it?
posted by Barb | 9:11 PM
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