I recently spent a week with my friend Deirdre in the San
Francisco Bay area. Deirdre and I have been friends since college and have lost
track of each other more than once. We stay in touch much better lately, maybe
because of social media, maybe because of where we both are in our lives now.
After college we took very different paths in very different
areas. She ended up in California and I in ustate New York and eventually Florida. I got
married and had kids, Deirdre went on with her studies while she worked and earned several degrees. We were brought up in
different environments financially, culturally and geographically. You’d think
we wouldn’t have much common ground to work with. When my kids were little Dee
was like a fun aunt. She’s good with kids and as a librarian gets to enjoy (or
not) a lot of them. Now we are older and I am divorced neither of us is married
or has “little ones”.
I don’t think it’s the similarity in our situations that has
made us closer. I think it’s that we both enjoy having friends of all ages but spending
time with someone of the same age is like wearing comfortable shoes instead of
high heels, jeans and a t-shirt instead of a dress.
It was nice to tromp around San Francisco with someone who I
don’t have to struggle to keep up with, someone who stops to use the rest room
as much as I do instead of me always being the one holding up the march because
I have to go, and someone who is ready to stop for a drink when I am. We have a
common library of music. I like new stuff and stuff much older than I am but
the music on the radio when I was in high school and college will always be
special because it takes me right back to where I was the first time I heard
it. “Sealed with a kiss” an end of the summer bonfire, cookout. My brother was
going into his senior year of high school.
I can smell the smoke, taste the grilled sweet corn and feel the sadness
that another summer was almost over.
I have friends from several states, several sources and of
several ages and I cherish each and every one of them. They all bring something
different to the table because of who they are, how we became friends and the
times we have shared. But…I do have to admit, it is so much fun to have someone
your own age to play with now and then.
