Sunday, August 30, 2009

Sunday Skies


Under smoky skies and the most godawful-looking mushroom cloud that is perched over the mountains to the north and east of my neighborhood, my dearest friends took me to a birthday brunch at Jar. We sat at a wonderful table in a dimly lit room that was blessedly cool. We ordered pink wine and I had a bloody Mary. Some ordered salads and some ordered omelets. I had two pieces of crusty bread spread with pesto and piled with prosciutto and arugula, topped with two fried eggs and shaved Parmesan. Someone ordered a bowl of French fries that were liberally spiked with garlic and salt and came with a tiny dish of homemade ketchup.

I looked around the table at the array of beauty that is my friends. I am filled with gratitude for the lines on their faces because they mark much laughter and many tears. We have sixteen children between us. One lost her mother at a too-early age and suffers from an often debilitating auto-immune disorder, yet wraps me in her arms for the most enveloping hugs one could imagine. One has recovered from breast cancer with an astonishing resilience yet always has time to dazzle with her formidable intellect and uncanny ability to understand. One has a laugh and a heart as big as Texas and another has known me for over thirty years, each of which has been blessed by her intelligence and warmth and support. Another makes me laugh because of her honesty and brutal sense of humor and another is goodness embodied. Real, true beauty, both inside and out.

And, most importantly, everyone loves to eat good food. We ordered butterscotch pudding, chocolate pudding, peach crisp, chocolate cake and banana cream pie for dessert and ate every single bit. And no one talked about their weight (o.k., maybe I did) or that they "shouldn't" or even "couldn't."

I love my friends. Thank you, ladies.


12 comments:

  1. Abundance. Bounty. Such friends and butterscotch pudding, too? My, oh my.

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  2. Ditto what Beth said...and You Deserve Every Bit (and Bite)!

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  3. Sounds perfect. Stay safe. xo, M

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  4. every every bit of joy and pleasure is your due, dear elizabeth.

    let's hope for many more sundays (and mondays, and tuesdays) like this one!

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  5. Oh my dear, give me a good friend instead of all the riches one could wish for. A friend is more precious than rubies, I don't have many friends but they are to my heart like light to shadows. Years? try thirty seven and counting. I treasured them in ways that I can hardly explain. They know I will be there at 3:00 AM if they need me to brew a pot of tea or to listen.

    I forgive them more than I forgive myself because indeed I love them far more than I like myself and often wonder what have I done to deserve them. I don't care. I have them, they are mine and I am theirs for life.

    Just like you.

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  6. All that dear friendship and delicious food -- YUM!

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  7. Can I borrow these friends for my birthday?

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  8. I love the photo and I love the story. Your writing is absolutely beautiful.

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  9. I'm not surprised that you you have such close friends.

    stay safe - ok?

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  10. If it was your birthday brunch, I wish you a very happy birthday.

    Love Renee xoxo

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  11. Congratulations! You deserve to celebrate and be celebrated.

    I'm always amazed at the wealth in my friends--wisdom, kindness, intelligence and humor. They're the best gift.

    Sounds like you had the kind of day we'd all like to have, particularly chocolate pudding...

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