They came last Friday, with Wii in tow, much to my son's delight. Dear friends from PNG who are home on furlough made an effort to drive some 500 miles to Alabama on their way from Indiana to Colorado and call it "kinda on the way."
Bless 'em. I know better.
But what a treat it was to see them! To laugh and talk and "just dance." To share meals and memories. To introduce them to my hometown and its unique culture, and to give them a glimpse of "another side of me."
But then Monday came and they were gone.
The very next day, my parents' doorbell rang again and in stepped another friend who had driven several hours to visit me from out of state. The next few days were filled with conversations, meals, chocolate ... and a bit of "Thelma and Louise takes Nashville."
We decided we liked each other more by the time I had to send her on her way this morning.
One of the biggest blessings of the lifestyle we are living is the fact that we have friends all over the world; we have standing invitations to visit people in multiple countries. We are enriched by their cultures, their personalities, their hospitality. The opportunities for visits abound.
Yet, inherent in the concept of "visiting" is the idea that eventually the visit must come to an end.
But give me a few hours ... we'll get the sheets changed, the washroom will be cleaned, and I'll decompress a bit.
And then, if you're ever in the neighborhood ....
Linking up with Lisa Jo Baker and her Five Minute Friday crowd who gather virtually to write on a specific prompt at the end of each week. Click on the button above to read more entries or to join in the fun.
