Girlfriends

I love this picture...I don't know who to give credit to, but here it is none the less...

I had lunch, yesterday, with an old friend. It was a wonderful fall day...a little windy, but sunny. We traveled from my house to a little town just west of here. There were two shops that I wanted to take her to. Merlin's Greenhouse and Flower Shop is one of them. This shop is jam packed with fall. You know, the kind of place that smells wonderful as soon as you step in the door, candles everywhere, fall arrangements, plants, small pieces of furniture, things hanging from the ceiling. Every spot is decorated for fall. We were in Heaven. It's the kind of shop that you have to go through twice...just to see what you missed the first time. We shopped till we dropped. Next to the cash register is the doorway into the greenhouse. It was a sight to behold. Full of fall color. Huge mum plants and hydrangeas everywhere along with the normal green plants. To the right were rows and rows of Christmas things in boxes....getting ready for their Christmas open house later on.
When we left we made our way to Conover Square...an old factory building transformed into a building full of shops. We were hungry and I had to sit down. We ate at a little sandwich shop that specializes in teas and coffees. I knew that my friend enjoyed her coffee...so I knew that she would love this place. We each had a half a chicken salad sandwich and a cup of soup. I had spinach artichoke and she had the pea soup. Mine was so tasty. I had a low caffeine green tea with honey and lemon, and she had a pumpkin flavored coffee.
As we ate and caught up on our lives..We know, without talking how we feel about each other.I got to thinking about how important it is for women to have women friends. We relate with each other so well.I've read about female friendships declining. People are more isolated and not paying attention to their friendships. As women, we sometimes need to be reminded what being a girlfriend means. Too often it takes a personal tragedy.to hit us with appreciation of friendship. As we women age, it is so important to keep our meaningful relationships with other women. So many of us have only a couple of true friends and several superficial friends. I have two best friends and sometimes, honestly, I have been negligent about caring for those friendships. I intend to be a better friend from now on.
As we left each other yesterday, we put a date on my calender to do this again in December. So, before the snow flies...I have a date for fun with a friend in a few weeks.I read somewhere...if your friendships last till age 40...you will likely be friends forever. What a reassuring thought.
Balisha