The Importance of Friends

With Ron coming home in just a few weeks, I've been thinking a lot about the past 18 months and what they have meant to me. Certainly learning to live on my own was a big challenge, but I also found out how important friends are. Having just finished reading The Blue Zones, which I obnoxiously go around quoting all the time, I have scientific evidence that having a network of friends helps create love and support which can increase longevity. Now you know one of the reasons that women typically live longer than men. It's their network of friends, the knitting circle, the morning coffees together, or the occasional sushi dinners.

Earlier in my life I had a nice network of friends, but a small network. Back in high school I had my circle of friends. We were not the "in" crowd, but we had a strong connection that felt comfortable to me. During the middle years of my life, from 25-55, I also had a small network of friends. I liked it this way. It was really all I could handle at the time. Then we moved to the San Diego area, and I had only 1 friend (thank you Cyrelle) until I got involved in Newcomers of San Dieguito. In a short time I had developed some strong friendships, and through the years I have met many wonderful men and women. The importance of these men and women in my life over the past 18 months cannot be diminished. They're there when I need them, to listen, to offer advice, to sometimes tell me I'm wrong. I appreciate all their help more than you can possibly know.

Now my journey without Ron is ending, but the friendships certainly aren't. You may not see much of me for a few weeks. Ron and I have some catching up to do, but after that you'll see me just as you always have, at the bridge club, book club, beach, or at a restaurant. Thanks, friends, for making this journey as good as it could be.