Monday Morning Musings

Posted on June 2, 2019 under Monday Morning Musings with 4 comments

Coimbra, Portugal

“Winter, spring, summer or fall,
All you got to do is call,
And I’ll be there,
You’ve got a friend.”
You’ve Got a Friend. Carole King

My high school English teacher opined on more than one occasion about friendship.She said that when we’re in the late innings of life, we will likely be able to count true friends on the digits of one hand.

As we age, we tend to lose more friends than we gain. I’m not suggesting that we’re all turning into curmudgeons in our golden years. Aging, illness and death can shrink our world.

I may be an exception to the rule. I am lucky that I meet people easily, always looking for an interesting story. In the last year alone, I have met literally hundreds of new folks that I now call friends.

My work doing music at a nursing home has garnered me some of the sweetest new pals. I jokingly say that all my girlfriends are north of ninety. When I add in staff, the number is in the hundreds.

Many seniors battle loneliness.This is not just the realm of the old. Many young people suffer in silence with few people in whom they can confide.

I actually believe that loneliness is a silent killer. I haven’t studied this phenomenon but I’m sure people much more learned than me have and have concluded that nurturing friends and relationships throughout life triggers chemical reactions in the brain making us healthier and happier people.

I am still blessed to have friends from high school. We are planning our 50th reunion next year.

My recently completed Camino journey produced many blisters and several new, remarkable friends.

Of course, among my best friends are my seven siblings, my wife, children and grandchildren. These people are loyal through thick and thin. Everyone should be so lucky to have a large extended family.

I am consciously grateful of my good fortune.

I hate to say that my long departed English teacher was wrong (god forbid!) but for me my crop of friends continues to grow.

The yield of happiness is incalculable.

Have a great week.

P.S. Travel day tomorrow so posting this on Sunday. It almost sounds like a Sunday sermon!

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