Our Children Are Not Ourselves...But

  

MJ has a friend, Maia, who is her favorite person in the world. MJ asks every day for a play date, and today we are finally having one. Maia is sweet and quiet and seems to love MJ too. I am loving listening to them play pretend and Maia is much chattier if I'm not in the room.

 

I can't help but think of my own childhood and my beloved Sarah Emily. All the hours of playing house, the hobbit, mass, wedding and of course, dance recital.  

 

The girls are pretending they're getting married to best friends and are getting ready to set up houses next door to each other.  I remember playing exactly this way with Sarah, I remember the taste of real Coke from glass bottles, the smell of old dress up clothes, sneaking in the cedar closet, and the feeling of true joy in friendship.

Reality is different than the childhood dream, some better and some worse, but the blessing is having friendships that withstand the years, that transcend the imagination, and keep us rooted in the communion of shared experience.

I have been blessed. Auntie Sarah once again lives up the street. It feels miraculous that we are still close, these are the precious, often unappreciated, miracles of all our lives.

See the people around you who teach you friendship, who introduce you to your fabulous self, who shape you just by showing up at your side.

It seems like playing for now, but this is the ground work for standing by you during your first heart break, your first real tragedy, standing up for you at your wedding, at the welcoming home of children, standing with you during all the trials and joys of life. God gave you these people. It is your task to earn them.

I've got to scan some old photos...