Old friendships foster new relationships

As the skyline from Dallas came into sight a silence overtook the car. The 10-hour trip to visit friends had been uneventful yet exhausting for the girls. Seeing the sprawling urban jungle brought out a sense of relief to me. The sight of buildings signaled the near-end of my driving responsibilities, with rest on the horizon. Before long the silence was broken with Lilli asking, “Holy cow, do you see how tall those buildings are?”

With a little chuckle I realized that this trip would carry with it several firsts for the girls, including seeing their first skyscraper.

With each exit, I could also sense the excitement grow within my wonderful wife. This trip was primarily all about her and the girls and I would simply tag along. Within moments we would arrive at the home of her childhood friend, a friend who had been there for her through thick and thin and who held a special place in her heart. Though her demeanor was reserved I could tell she was bursting at the seams. As we made the last turn into the urban subdivision the sight of a lone female sweeping the sidewalk came into view. It was apparent that Beth, her friend, was likewise excited about their reunion, resorting to menial outside jobs until her beloved friend arrived.

Within moments the dear old friends had continued their journey together as if no distance or time had passed. Although reserved, the girls and I joyfully introduced ourselves to the rest of Beth’s family, doing our best to give the older girls the time necessary for reminiscing. Before long the girls were making themselves at home while Mom and Beth talked, and Dad and Paul, Beth’s husband, reclined around the latest sportscast, complaining about the new way of playing sports. I will admit, not being the most outgoing person when initially meeting new people, I felt strangely at home with the family.

Over the next few days and several new adventures, it was apparent that my little family found comfort in not only the area but with our new friends. The girls not only experienced joy from having the opportunity to hang out with older children, being made to feel valued by teenagers, they likewise bonded well with Paul. Within moments of our arrival, Paul began feeling comfortable around little ones again and quickly assigned each girl silly nicknames and the girls returned the favor, creating levity for the trip.

As our week came to an end and preparations began for the journey home one could sense a sadness creeping in. Not sadness because of regret but rather a sadness stemming from our having a great time creating new friendships and experiencing new adventures together. As the girls and their mother slept and I drove on our journey homeward, my mind began considering how blessed we were to be able to experience such bonding. I think that in life we rarely fully understand the impact generational friendships can have on our children.

This adventure not only brought forth great external experiences for the girls, but it also allowed them to witness true friendship. A friendship which has lasted over 40 years. Better than that, they too had the opportunity to create and mold a friendship along the way. One which could likely last a lifetime as well, given a commitment. My friends, never hesitate to open yourself up to others. It is when we open ourselves that we may find that lasting confidant we always looked for.