Forty-seven years ago next month, I returned to Winter Park to be a bridesmaid in the wedding of one of my closest friends, Bonnie, a tall lovely redhead. She was marrying a young man she had met just before he separated from the Air Force at McCoy AFB. Another of my close friends, Shirley, had married the year before. Shirley was a lovely young blond who married a man in the music department at Orlando Community College. She was also a bridesmaid in Bonnie's wedding. Bonnie was lovely in a long candlelight gown with a lace Bertha collar. It totally fitted her personality and accentuated her loveliness. After the wedding and reception at First Baptist Church in Winter Park, Florida we waved good-bye to her as she and Al left in her white mustang with red interior. Little did we know that it would be so long before we saw her again when she left for her new home in Schenectady, New York.
I married a year later. The years passed as we all had families, jobs, successes, stresses, and everything that goes along with living life. We saw Shirley and Jim a few times. We kept in touch at Christmas and when children were born. After the creation of Facebook, we all connected again. Last Spring Shirley organized a little reunion for us at their lake house on Long Lake near Sarona, Wisconsin. After all these years, we would spend a week together sharing stories, laughs, and an all around good times. Jim acted as activities director and breakfast cook as we enjoyed rides around the lake, dinners out, a tour of the Duluth harbor, the adventure of Wisconsin Fish Night at the Wagon Wheel near Brill, and dinner and an outdoor concert in Rice Lake.
In the midst of all the activity, we learned a new dice game, shared a lot of good meals, listened to the loons on the lake, watched the eagles soar over our heads, and marveled at the plethora of hummingbirds whirring around the feeders. The presence of Shirley and Jim's Daisy Dog just added to the fun. Adding a special treat was the super moon which rose quite like a ball of fire and reflected in the still lake. All in all, all six of us enjoyed ourselves and the years slipped away.
Finally it was time to separate and leave. It wasn't easy. Good-byes never are. As I lay in bed this morning listening to the faint sounds of the others getting organized before breakfast, I thought about how much I hated to tell them good-bye, but when I reflected on the week I knew that although I would miss the redhead and the blond that the farewell would be easier because of the wonder of the renewed friendship. If a friendship is good and solid, it will survive separation. I feel good that although we have aged ----after all, we are all grandmothers ---we are still the blond, redhead, and brunette that were good friend when we were young and we will always be friends. I feel richly blessed that God granted me these friends. I feel good knowing that all of our marriages are good ones. The fact that our husbands actually seem to like each other is just frosting on the cake.
We have had a wonderful week with wonderful hosts.
This was a good reunion. I feel there will be others!
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