The Glow

As I hang up the phone with a good friend who is moving on to take another job, I pause for a minute to think about friends. I have been really fortunate to call a core group of people close friends. People who make me laugh. People I trust. People who would never let me down. Those that are honest and true to themselves. Fair. Respectful. Caring, passionate individuals who are never too "busy." Then, I think about my friend starting a new chapter in her life and all the uncertainty that is involved with changing jobs. I smile softly. We've laughed so hard tears have spilled out. We stood next to each other and silently cried at a flag ceremony on 9/11. We cooed to her newborn son at the hospital. We mourned over her separation and later divorce. And today, we celebrated her good news together. I've decided that it's not the adventure that counts. No, not at all. It is not the fancy vacation, the sports car you bought on impulse, the pickles you canned, or the beer you got on sale. It is not the new purse you proudly sling, the yacht that takes you sailing, or the carpets you just cleaned. It is the people...that matter. The people who share these experiences with us; those we call our friends. For without these friends, our memories are like empty mason jars just waiting for the glow of the fireflies to be added.