It was a Sunday evening brimming with simple joys. Time hanging out with my husband and son, and two of my best friends, their husbands and toddler sons. The main attraction for the little boys was a new backyard play set. For the big kids, the draw was the company. People who don’t flinch at mealtime chaos. People you don’t dress up for or mince words with. Friendship like that, well, it’s like your go-to pair of favorite shoes: classic, comfortable, reliable and ready for more miles of the journey. So many joys, but here are some important ones. Can you relate?
- Friends you’ve known since elementary school.
- Watching your dear friends with their dear children.
- Seeing your friends in the faces of their kids.
- Parenting alongside your friends. Sharing it all–the big feelings and the small victories–together.
- Liking your friends’ husbands.
- Their husbands liking your husband. Your husband liking theirs.
- The giddy excitement of going down the slide… over and over and over again.
- Busy toddler boys always just a few millimeters away from a trip to Urgent Care.
- Green grass and the smell of lilacs.
- The shifting skies of spring.
- Safe homes and yards and kitchens and porches.
- Potlucks and grilling out. Best enjoyed while listening to country music.
- Kabobs and chocolate chip cookies.
Grilling and chilling. Laughing and listening. Folks, these are the finer things in life.
Sarah Weller 