Living Longer with Mid-Sentence Friends

We picked up in mid-sentence.
A sweet lady here in Rector remarked such about a group of her friends and I thought how true that is of forever friends.
So fortunate am I to have these relationships to enjoy.

Betty Dale and I are friends like that . Not to ignore cradle friends or adult friends, "saved my life" friends, "helped raise my children" friends, mind you. I treasure all friendships. They say people live longer when surrounded by friends. I can attest to that truth.

Anyway, as I was saying, mid-sentence. Marvin and I walked into Mazzio's Pizza on Easter Sunday noon (not much open in Camden). Dale and I had arranged to meet there and visit a bit before her daddy's graveside service.

As Marvin and I navigated the table to find seating among, other relatives such as her son Matt, son-in-law Dwight, and others, the crowd parted and allowed Dale and me to sit beside each other. Everyone knew it best not to separate us, or Heaven Forbid, sit between us.

Joe Ralph, her brother, picked up right where he left off many years ago, with barbs about not recognizing me without "blue hair," a reference to photos from my recent role as an old granny type in a Community Arts Council comedy. I didn't pay much attention to that younger brother because Dale and I were picking up in mid-sentence.

Bill, her husband, joined in the fun by making silly jokes when he tried to add the glamour focus to his camera lens. He and Marvin would make a dangerous duo, so I'm glad he stays a nice distance away in Florida....near Tampa.

Not so my friend Betty Dale. I wish she lived closer. Now that her dad has died, joined his wife Betty Jo and all the Saints in Heaven, I doubt she'll be back to Arkansas very much. We'll have to lasso her for the Great 50th 1966 Camden High School Class Reunion next year.

She's retiring this spring. Her school will miss her exquisite compassion and helpful ways. They'll miss her uplifting spirit. I told her that after six months of napping, she might feel like some volunteer work or like taking a girl trip...somewhere.

It never matters what she and I talked about last; we just pick right up and talk...as if we were at a spend-the-night at her house or mine on Truman Road in Camden. Isn't life grand when we keep up with our forever friends. There for each other whether over the phone, in text, or through the miracle of prayer, Betty Dale and Margaret Jane keep adding layers to an already deep friendship.

They say you live longer because of friends.  Relationships give value to our years and add years to our journey.