Thursday, December 20, 2007

Reading / Friends

I like reading, especially during football season. Needless to say I have done a lot of reading lately. Currently I am reading a book by one of my favorite authors - Nora Roberts. Before this I have been reading every good Harry Potter fan fiction I could find. But it has to be good. Not too violent and a happy ending. Anyway... I started this book without reading what it was about and started to laugh. It actually starts with 3 ten-year-old boys in Maryland, who are best friends - decide to make a blood oath of friendship and end up letting loose a demon. Oh, and they end up with a few special powers.... Ok.... Something is really going on here when I can't get away from 3 friends, magic, powers, demons...



Anyway, as I was reading I thought back to when I was 10 or 11. Harry Potter starts at 11. This story starts with the boys being 10. I remember having friends at 10 that I thought would be my friends forever. I remember the spit in your hand and shake oaths. (Didn't like blood much.) I remember thinking, breathing, living for these friendships all through my teens. I still know where those friends are but I am definiately not with them. It is funny where life leads us. My grandmother had a set of girlfriends. She was friends with these women for over 70 years. Of course, none of them left their little home town, they all married friends, or even brothers of each other. But I remember thinking it was cute that at 80 she was still running around with her girls. It was hard for her to watch the girls leave this earth. I am sure they were waiting for her it was her time to go. Do we still have those kind of friendships?



Travel and technology has made the world so much smaller. But at the expense we don't create the close knit communities or relationships we used to. It is easier to stay indoors and be entertained so we don't put the time into the relationship. It is easier to move across the country for a better opportunity. With the distance the relationship can suffer. Which is better? We lose the small number you can rely on completely, but you gain the opportunity to meet so many more people. Each opportunity to meet another gives us the ability to touch another life, even if just for a moment. That touch could make all the difference in the world.



Life isn't a story book but we do create our own stories. My story will definiately be a story of multiple touchs of many people. It is a good thing I have 7 siblings. I will always have them.

Monday, December 17, 2007

Blogging

Today must be my blog day! Jay was teasing me on the way to work this morning that I haven't been adding to my blog. I said, but of course I have.... Then I look at my blog and the last time I added was Thanksgiving! Ok, maybe he is right! (Oh no.... It is written on the internet.... Jay is right! For all the world to see... I am in trouble now!)

Of course, I check out all my families blogs, not much there either. I guess I am not the only one that hasn't been adding much. Only Natasha has kept it up well (go, Girl! You are my hero!) However, I promised Jay I would do better.

Christmas this year is going to be odd. It is wonderful to have Jace home, and I am so excited to have Greg, Natasha and Gavin coming. I can't wait for that part. But my kids are grown so we won't have as much gift giving. I never thought about it that way, but I love to watch them open things. The joy in giving is seeing their faces light up. Now that they are grown, they just don't need as much. What they do need is expensive so they don't get it as often. In a way it is sad. I love to give gifts, especially to the boys. I will must have to buy them all socks and wrap each one individually.



Hee hee hee