The meaning of friendship

After talking to some friends this weekend going through some difficult times,  I started thinking about what friendship really means.  For me this definition has changed over the years in my adulthood.  I feel blessed to count many people in my circle of friends - those I went to school with, used to work with, go to church with, met through other friends - and this group includes people I grew up with and people I've only met recently.  Last week I mentioned that I was thinking about people who you stay in contact with over the years and miles even though you don't see or talk to them often.  Then there are other friends whom you only remain close to for a season, and certainly that is of value too (or at least for the most part :).  
 
Sure, there are friends that you might only meet up or call for a catch-up once in a while, others are part of a group that you get together with a couple of times a year, some you get together with weekly for social outings, friends you would welcome into your home for a meal, those that you could call in the middle of the night with an emergency, and still others that wouldn't mind handing you multiple tissues or sit on the phone listening to you cry.  So, at the risk of being sentimental, I would like to express my thanks for all of the people I can call "friend", what a richness you have brought to my life!
 
"My friends are my estate." - Emily Dickinson

Best in class

While I do not normally follow boxing at any level, I'd be lying if I said I had no interest at all in recently reading/hearing about the star of the Philippines, Manny Paquiao (who just won the WBO welterweight title against Miguel Cotto and solidified his stature of the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, in case you have no clue as to what I'm talking about).  In fact, I may or may not have walked around the house this weekend imitating (what I believe to be) finesse boxing moves and chanting "Pakyaw! Pakyaw! Pakyaw!", all to some amusement from my lone roomie a/k/a husband.
 
So for the moment I'm going to reserve my comments about the blood sport and exert a little silly Filipino pride, even as the spotlight on Manny shines a bit on Filipino politics and certain less than desirable areas in my parents home country.
 
Who's next??!?

Making the old new again

Last weekend we bought and moved (ouch) this cool cabinet, my first Craig's List purchase having gone quite smoothly.  I don't even remember why I even started looking through the website last week, but this item caught my eye and after a couple of phone calls and trips out to West Bloomfield, it's in our family room.  It's from the 1930's but just needs a little wood polish and a new door pull (hence the bits of masking tape), isn't it quaint?  Our nephew came over and glanced over casually at it and without solicitation for his 4-yr-old opinion he declared that he liked it, which pleased me :)!
 
I love when things retain their timelessness so effortlessly.  I thought about this again in a different context this week while making plans with two different groups of friends to get together over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, and also when my cousin called me from California and another friend who just moved back from overseas checked in just for a quick hello.  People that are dear to me that I don't see or talk to all that often due to physical distance or just busy lives, but with whom conversation and laughter come as easily as the last time when we get together.  In theory we should treat all of our longstanding relationships as if they were a cherished shiny new penny, so that they are reminded of their worth to us!   

 

Falling back

So I don't know about you, but not only did I embrace the extra hour of sleep due to the time change this weekend, but yesterday (Monday) for some reason I just felt zapped of energy last night when I got home and passed out on the couch at an embarrassingly early hour!  That and the pretty red tree leaves that I mentioned just last weekend have mostly fallen off, how is it that my favorite season can be so fleeting? 
 
Hopefully you don't have an excuse on this clear fall day to not vote, remember that it is election day and even if there are only a few items on your local ballot, it is important that we all exercise this right. I went to my precinct during lunchtime, and sadly the only other person checked off on the "Mc" page of names so far was the hubs (who, I should note, charged out of the house this morning with his travel coffee mug in hand declaring that "when I live in a country where I have the right to vote, it is a good day!!" :).  Especially when you consider that women were only granted the right to vote less than 100 years ago, let's remember 'tis a privilege indeed...
 
 

Purdue pic

My father-in-law (otherwise known as "Mr. Mac") sent this post-game picture of the three of us from our trip down to the Purdue last weekend, and even with our featured hat hair you can see that we survived the rain in style, me with my stylin' tie-dye t-shirt.  Does anyone else think that the acorn doesn't fall far from the tree?? ;)   Boiler up!

 

 

Falling for fall

We took another quick trip this past weekend, first to Saugatuck in West Michigan for a little shopping (let us know if you need a great restaurant recommendation in the area that we got from friends), then down to Indiana to meet the Barton's parents at Purdue to watch the Boilermakers win against Illinois.  Doesn't that sound like some good Midwestern fun, folks?  Well it certainly was, and as a bonus during our drive time we got to see the leaves change to their vibrant palate of fall colors right before our very eyes.  And then when we arrived home, we saw that the trees on our street (pictured) had themselves turned a wonderful flaming red while we were gone!

It's my favorite Michigan weather time of year, no doubt.  Despite the shorter days and the dread of the coming winter, brisk walks in the crisp air with the crunch of leaves underfoot can give one a renewed sense of purpose, and any excuse to eat apple pie is welcome in my book!  Hanging with friends around a campfire, at football games or a cider mill, or seeing families outside playing in the piles of leaves just warms my little heart :).  Cheers to your fall happiness!

 

The sweetest thing

I always thought that Sweetest Day was a contrived holiday by the card companies, only celebrated in the Midwest.  Turns out that in 1922, Herbert Birch Kingston, an employee of a candy company in Cleveland Ohio, began handing out candy to those that he believed felt "forgotten" - orphans, the elderly, homebound people etc.  Who knew?? (okay, maybe you already did, but I didn't!)

 

So while it's always nice to treat your loved ones to something special, consider what the Sweetest Day holiday was originally meant for, and perhaps instead spend time with them by volunteering at a homeless shelter, or take up a collection at the office or in your study group and go and deliver candy to a local orphanage or flowers to a senior center.  Coincidentally, tomorrow the hubby & I will be attending an auction for the non-profit Judson Center (www.judsoncenter.org) that serves children & families with a variety of social services, but now I will be conscious about what we do in future years to celebrate Sweetest Day.  Leave the red roses for Valentine's Day, and show some love for your less fortunate neighbors!