Old Friends and Autumn

My wife Lin and I drove to New England last weekend to catch the fall colors and visit with a few old friends. Donna, who resides in Vermont with her husband Marty, and Lin have been friends since they were four; Donna grew up in the house next door to Lin. Donna met Marty in college, fell in love and married him when they graduated. I met them through Lin more years ago than I care to admit. Great people, real friends. Salt of the earth --- you know what I mean.

Nothing special happened over the weekend, which is why I’m writing this. Celebrate the ordinary. It was a wonderful visit: we talked as only old friends can, we went to local restaurants, and we spent a complete day visiting Shelburne Farms (one of the most beautiful places on earth, where Vermont meets Lake Champlain). It was just a normal visit between old friends, rich and satisfying.

Then Lin and I drove to Connecticut to visit John and JoAnne, another pair of old buddies. John and I go back to high school. We are part of half a dozen guys who were close then and are still friends. By chance, most of us didn’t have brothers, so we became like brothers. Lin and I met them for dinner and had a great time catching up. It was another ordinary, satisfying day.

New England was beautiful, too. The trees were slightly past their peak, but still eye-catching and brimming with life. Like my friends.

Enjoy the ordinary: the countryside in fall, good friends and whatever each day brings. When you’re young, it’s difficult to accept that it’s not going to last forever. In autumn, you understand better, but it’s still hard to accept. Savor every ordinary moment.

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