Early this morning, I said goodbye to Brenda, my host for the past three nights. Brenda and my younger sister, Dita have been the best of friends since they were toddlers, and as such, we have been friends for a long time. I actually didn’t have any plans to go to Guemes Island, but when Brenda reached out and invited me, I said yes.
As we discussed families, Redlands (the town where we grew up), aging, health and other things, I was aware of the underlying familiarity of being in the company of someone I’ve known for so many years, and I was grateful for it. And, at the same time, I was aware of the newness of sitting with a friend, noticing our changing bodies, comparing notes on lives lived so far and how very different our experiences have been.
Brenda has a lovely voice, a memory as detailed as a library card catalog, a wit that will drop you to the floor in hysterics and a compassion for animals as deep and wide as the ocean. She’s also an artist.
Sometimes, we get caught up in the business of getting things done, and forget to simply be in particular moment. In the rush to accomplish things, it is easy to put off calling a friend or connecting with someone we “used to know”, and sometimes, we end up missing the opportunity all together.
I believe part of how we will find Peace is by slowing down and taking the time to connect. Being with others as part of our daily routine will help to re-connect us at a visceral level rather than substituting a “tech connect”, which isn’t actually palpable at all.
Thank you for reaching out and sharing the island, your home and yourself so openly with me. I had a lovely time.
Brenda’s home is ever so peaceful. Glad you had a nice opportunity to be with her.
It was nice and so Peaceful. And we LOVED having a funny call with you!