Wednesday, August 18, 2010

The road to a friend's house is never long

I've had my friend 'A' here visiting from Germany for a couple of days.
Sadly she had to be on her way this morning.
We had such a great time shopping and talking and catching up over a glass of wine or two.


We met when we were both living in England and over the years we've spent many an hour volunteering side by side in The American Women's Club, the PTA and with the Girl Scouts.
We have also shared many cups of coffee in the Red Room, lunches in the village pub, dinners at The Royal Standard, a deep love of Italian pottery, antiques, all things French, and the English countryside.

And then there is the travel.
We have seen some cities y'all.

We have laughed and talked and shopped our way together through the Christmas markets in Dresden ...




We shared an amazing winter holiday together with several other families in Dubai...


That deserves its own write up on the blog one day.


We have celebrated our close together birthdays together in the beautiful city of Verona...


They've moved.
We've moved.
Another Christmas market together, this time in Strasbourg France....


Who thinks its time for me to get a new ski jacket?
In my defense, when you only shop in your ski jacket it doesn't exactly wear out.

There is something about travel, especially foreign travel, that bonds you.
We feel that way as a family and we feel that way about our friends.

I remember the first time we flew together and A had the misfortune to be seated beside me.
I was in the middle seat and another friend was on the other side of me.
I have a routine when I travel which includes Dramamine and ginger ale and a little fidgeting and lots of prayer and much checking and re-checking of of the seat belt.
I know.
It makes you want to take a trip with me doesn't it?
Anyway, we had quite the bumpy ride and a rather rapid descent which makes your ears go all wacky and I performed my normal shtick...
tighten seat belt-check
retighten seat belt-check
remind daughter2 across the aisle to tighten her seat belt-check
is she sure?-check
count the number of seat backs to the emergency exit-check
do a quick analysis as to the capability of the person seated in the emergency aisle-check
sip ginger ale and whisper a prayer-check

Beside me A calmly read her magazine until she couldn't take it anymore finally glanced over at me and said,
"Are you a nervous flier?"
Me?
Whatever gave you that idea?

Some friends are in our lives for only a season.
Others we know we'll hold close in our hearts always.
I feel that way about the special friends from my England days.
We shared a common intense experience and rode a roller coaster of emotion, anxiety, and adventure in places unfamiliar and far from home.
We rooted for one other, supported one another, encouraged one another, prayed for one another and in some sense of the word acted as family for one another when family was an ocean away.

An old Danish proverb says, "The road to a friend's house is never long."
Even when that road is airspace across the Atlantic.
Okay, that last bit might be my own .02

10 comments:

  1. That proverb is so right! Love it.
    You really are a world traveler and I am living through you. Wow! The places you´ve seen. And the best part is that you have so many friends to see them with. You are blessed!

    ReplyDelete
  2. True friends are a real blessing!

    Hugs,
    Catherine

    ReplyDelete
  3. Beautifully spoken, as always. Shopping in a ski jacket... made me giggle. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Great pictures. I would love to hear about your trip to Dubai!

    ReplyDelete
  5. True friends are worth their weight in gold. And yes, do a post on your trip to Dubai.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Yep, you need to post about Dubai. Especially since now I know where it is! (Remember Target...I had to ask where Dubai was!)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Sounds like a beautiful friendship. You have shopped in the most awesome spots.

    ReplyDelete
  8. HAAA! I'm a nervous flier, too. We should travel together. I've checked and my neuroses will fit in the overhead compartment.

    ReplyDelete
  9. "A" sounds like the perfect friend. I'm glad she got to spend even just a couple of days with you. A very special family from England has been planning a trip here for next summer. We are really excited about that and we'll have a couple of weeks to make more memories together.

    ReplyDelete