A Circle of Friends

In this Covid pandemic year the value having friends has become even more important, especially if you do not live close to your family members. I am fortunate to have found and live in a very special community where almost all of us moved here knowing no one else. We have built a lot of strong bonds because we seemed to understand that we could be happier if we found ways to relate to one another in positive ways. And, until this year when almost everything that had given us opportunities to interact with each other was closed down for our own protection, we had a huge network of groups, organizations, and planned and unplanned social get togethers that made that possible. For those of us that had become singles, this lack of social interaction has been even more difficult because even the couples you used to interact with when you were still married, no longer remember you when it comes to invitations. You are the fifth wheel, the "twos company, threes a crowd" person. So when you are invited, as I was tonight, to have dinner with three other couples, that was a big event and I came home being thankful for actually having such a good circle of friends after all. But I especially was thankful for the friend who wanted to include me in this mix of couples. That is a true friend! Equally special was that the couples all seemed to enjoy being with me as much as I enjoyed being with them. I never felt like the odd person out. We all have had time over the years to learn about and appreciate each others talents and a bit about our families and pets. So sharing stories about the next new art work, the recent trips to help with grandchildren, or the renovation of a 1950's era pickup truck were all wonderful pleasantries to be shared. If you look up the meaning of the term a "circle of friends," you will find a lot of definitions that don't come close to what I think it is for me, although this one isn't too bad: "Circles are a group of people who meet together to help somebody achieve what they would like to do in their life." This sounds like a planned activity. But I know it needn't, nor should it be. Any group of people getting together to enjoy time together and include someone they might not have considered including because they were not part of a couple, can and should be such a circle. Sometimes helping someone to achieve what they want to do or be in life is to just be included. I am thankful I have such a circle of friends.