Friends are Forever
In this world of cliches and shortcuts, I'm reminded of my friend, June. I love June. She's a real friend. Always the same. Always smiling. She has this contagious laugh (which she blames on me, of course), but I say it's innate. I dare not attend a funeral with her, for we will end up laughing at something. Makes no difference where she is, she can start a raucous laugh. It's never my fault. I can tell you that.
June has this thing she says when we're going to be apart for a long time. It's simply NLG... Then she hugs me tight and says, I'm NLG. Never Letting Go. Now, that's a real friend. One you want to hang onto.
In 1970, we had some of those friends on Cambridge Avenue in old Southwest Roanoke, Virginia. Lifetime friends. Like June. Friends that give clear meaning to Proverbs 17:17: A friend loveth at all times. Here's my short list of reasons I loved the Cambridge Avenue experience. It's all about those NLG friends. Do you have any of those?
- Pleasant days and special evenings.
- A keen awareness of the needs of those you love.
- The warmth of a fire, a table of good food.
- Kind words and thoughtful deeds, no explanation required.
- Sundays after church, and a steady stream of wonderful people bringing their favorite covered dishes and placing them side by side on a white table cloth.
- Toast and jam. Coffee always brewing.
- Hardwood floors and fireplaces in every room.
- A parlor where friends gather around the piano.
- Christmas trees and garland everywhere.
- Sitting rooms with high ceilings where secrets are told and held in strictest confidence.
- Bathtubs with claw feet and Irish Spring bath soap.
- White radiators and a noisy coal furnace.
- The high porch. Sitting there while evening fades and the white lights of the star appear high over the Roanoke Valley, illuminating the Five Star City of the South.
- The Shenandoah Mountains, tall and intimidating.
- Ivy covered streets, oak trees and brown squirrels that walk the tight wires.
- Parks and people who make you happy.
- The front porch glider.
I could go on and on, but you get the idea. Friends are forever.
You say it so perfectly. Dear friends are gifts from God and we must treasure them. Most of my married life I have not lived near family, so friends have filled that void and blessed me in ways I could never have imagined. God is so awesome to know our needs and place people in our paths who will be there at just the right time. You, Wanda, are one of those treasures. I'm so glad He placed you at a table in Atlanta Bread on a given morning reading a book; and that He prompted me to strike up a conversation with you that day. The rest is history. Don't ever stop writing! I treasure the memories we have of your South Carolina days, vanilla nut coffee and bagels with cream cheese, laughter and much chatter.
ReplyDeleteMiss you.
Claudia
Oh, Claudia, that's so beautiful. You are one of those forever friends, a treasure in earthen vessel. What good times we shared together. I do pray the Lord will give us more of those moments one day. I miss you, miss our times together around the AB coffeepot! John, too!
ReplyDeletePraying your Christmas will be a precious time of celebrating the birth of our Dear Savior.
I do love you and miss you so much.
Wanda
P.S. Please pray... my hard drive is corrupted and right now it looks like I've lost everything, including "Isaac's House." (I do have a clean hard copy, which I can retype (80,000 words). I have someone trying to salvage. It's not impossible. Was a terrible blow to me and a wake-up call to get a back-up drive.