LUNCH WITH FRIENDS

Although I’m somewhat of a loner, I treasure the good friends I’ve made in various parts of the country over the years…from the childhood friends I still have contact with from the Texas Panhandle to most of my adult years in Dallas, then South Florida for over a decade, Seattle for a year, the Texas Hill Country for five years, and now Austin for over two years.

I never lived anywhere long enough to grow long-term deep roots with people, but the friendships that were formed have sustained me through good times and bad. I withdraw when stressed or ill, which is not healthy. After dislocating my hip three months ago, I stayed inside my new-to-me duplex for the more significant part of two months. There were many days when I never saw a soul. It was challenging getting around with a walker while experiencing pain with every step I took. So, I mostly stayed home in my new place. Fortunately, Paddy had a yard to do his business. Otherwise, it would have been almost impossible for me to take him on walks thrice daily at my former abode.

The few times I’ve been with friends this past month have been fantastic. Today, I had lunch with two of my close friends from the apartment complex I lived in for over two years before moving to my current location. I realized how much I missed them and regretted that we hadn’t met for lunch sooner. We talked nonstop for three hours at the restaurant. At one point, I told our very friendly waiter that we were about ready to order dinner! We have a great deal in common besides our ages. The three of us have advanced degrees, raised our children as single mothers while working professionally challenging jobs, and agree politically. Most importantly, we’d rather laugh than cry, which is particularly difficult when discussing the dire predictions of what our country is facing under the Trump regime.

Surprisingly, I wondered why in the world I moved when there were many residents I liked. The benefit of living a mile from my daughter and grandchildren has been great, but leaving newly-formed friends has been challenging. I suppose it’s the internal battle between enjoying my privacy and frequently finding many people annoying. Why can’t I accept that some people aren’t my cup of tea and leave it at that? Instead, I dreaded being around them, and in an apartment building full of retired people, there are some people one cannot avoid. However, I disliked only three people out of 90 or so residents. I would still encounter them almost daily.

On our way out of the restaurant, two sisters from the apartment complex were enjoying a late lunch or early dinner. I saw them frequently when I lived there and loved our time visiting the dog park while watching our dogs interact. It was a pleasant surprise seeing them again.

I plan on forging new friendships in my current neighborhood/town and have made some headway through my Rotary Club. As I parked in my driveway today, my next-door neighbor came over to introduce herself. She’s about my age, and hopefully, we’ll get to know each other soon.

Sometimes, having lunch with friends makes you realize what you’ve missed during a period of isolation. I’m so grateful to have such extraordinary friends!