I had the pleasure of hosting my mother and her good friend of 40 plus years this weekend. Good friends are like your favorite song or favorite movie, you will always welcome them back into your home. What is so wonderful about long time friends? Is there a time where you discover they will be lifelong friends; or is it that you know instantly that this person is to become a part of the family? What is so lovely about long-term friendships? Well, I noticed a few things this weekend, and I want to share them with you.
I noticed how comfortable everyone is with each other. My mother and Irene seem to seamlessly pick up where they left off. They caught up and reminisced at the same time. It was a pleasure to hear them talk about their parents, siblings, children and grandchildren as they truly know each others’ families. Having Irene stay the weekend was as great as if I had snuck away to one of my best friends’ homes. I actually heard Irene and Mom giggling before they fell asleep like young girls at camp after lights out.
It was enlightening to hear stories of the past that I never knew of or was able to re-remember. My mother and Irene’s generation of stories and mine and my sister’s generation poured forth like an endless cup of comforting tea. We talked about many fun memories and often one memory would evoke another memory. Each person would say “Oh yeah, that’s right,” Oh, I vaguely remember that.” My sister shared, “We would always come over and roller skate in your basement!” There is something about reminiscing that brings you right back where you started from. Irene also shared stories of ways my sister’s son is similar to his mother when she was a toddler.
Laughter is the best medicine. Good friends bring out the best laughs. One of the favorite parts of the weekend for me was when I was rooms away from them. I would hear them start roaring with laughter and I would laugh along with them, and I had no idea what they were laughing about. Through the stories there was an inevitable big belly laugh or two or three.
Lastly, time spent with longtime good friends is like being at the spa for a weekend getaway. I feel rested and rejuvenated at the end of a weekend of love, comfort and laughter. Being around wonderful people and friends is so restorative. You feel as though your body, heart, mind and soul have all been treated to some wonderful R&R&R&R! It feels restful, relaxing, restorative and rejuvenating! Doctors of all specialties would be wise to write a prescription to their patients to spend a weekend with a good friend of longstanding.
