Friends

...are the chocolate chips in the cookies of life. How's that for an overused phrase? But who doesn't love chocolate chips?

Seriously, though, I am incredibly blessed by my friends. Two have left me lovely voicemails in the last two days (if you're reading this, yes, I will call you back...as soon as I have a free moment at a reasonable hour!)

Friends are the antidote to being stuck inside all day and therefore in a not-so-marvelous mood. Sometimes when I am really bogged down by work, I start to feel isolated (and I am, sort of, by the fact that being so busy working keeps me inside rather than out interacting with people). It's at these times that having friends reach towards me is such an incredible blessing.

I have friends of all ages. This morning, I finally got out of my house and went to the school to read to the first graders. It did my heart good to hear them say they had missed me (it had been several weeks since I had been in the classroom, because I was sick last Friday and there was no school the Friday before). I also enjoyed catching up with Mary Ellen, their teacher, who is my friend as well. Talking to her got me caught up not only on her but also on the other things that have been happening on the island while I've been buried under work and staying inside.

One of those things is a minor outbreak of some kind of bug which causes a fever. This morning, nearly half of the first graders were out of school sick. That's one thing about living in a small community: when there's something going around, you're probably going to get it. Unless, of course, you are stuck at home working and haven't been outside much in a week. Hey, maybe that was a blessing.

Or maybe not. My friends, however, certainly are a blessing. So if you are one (and hey, if you're reading this blog, I count you as a friend): thank you! As Anne Haley more eloquently puts it:

And I'd thank you, my friends.
We've crossed a thousand paths
and found ourselves together in the end.
And if ever I could have the chance
to do it all again,
I'd take the long road
with you my friends.

(To hear a clip of the song, including the lines above (the chorus), go to Anne's website, click "the goods" (bottom right tab), then select "Friends" from the "It's a Beautiful Life" CD.)

Wishing you a life blessed with friendship, wherever you are...