Connecting and Reconnecting with Friends by Angie Ledbetter

One of the things that makes me happiest is spending time with friends. It makes me feel good to hear of their successes, unexpected "wins" in life, good news, or whatever brings them joy and fulfillment. Conversely, when one is experiencing problems or setbacks, I want to do what I can by lending an ear or shoulder for support.

Several times in the last week, I've gotten to share in great moments with others. A dear friend is right now visiting her sister in Florida, enjoying a much needed vacation before her teaching job resumes shortly. Tonight I ate supper with another great friend whom I'd lost touch with for a few years. It was really great catching up and spending time together like we used to. After our meal, she came with me to visit my parents, which extended our fun by an extra hour.

I'm looking forward to joining a longtime friend for a day of work at our kids' school football team's annual boot camp this weekend. Although it's no pleasure cruise preparing meals and snacks for a hungry, sweaty, hot football team in primitive campsite conditions, the camaraderie and fun more than compensate for the long hours of work. I've reconnected with an old school friend also, and we've begun meeting for lunch once a month or so. It's such fun to relive our glory days and compare notes on the present.

My gratitude cup overflows whenever I think of friends -- those companions of the heart who are always there for you and vice versa. Life would be empty and dull without them. So, here's to you, great friends from elementary school years up to you newbies I've found in the present, and especially those who share the crazy world of writing with me. Cheers, and thank you for enriching my life!

Melancholy, Baby by Kat Magendie

It's a hollow place we go sometimes, don’t you think? There is an indention in the soil, and we curl into the indention where it's safe and comfy—even though we lie about how comfortable it is, since there are pebbles pressing into our skin, there is a chill in the night, and there is dirt under our nails that aggravates. We ignore the lamenting low howl of the wise wolf, calling us back calling us back calling us back, don't we? Because we’re snuggled into our hollowed out space, curled just as we did before birth. The place in the soil upon the earth, in the hollowed out hidden forest, where we pretend how comfortable we are, and alone, don't forget how nice it is to be alone. Sounds good, doesn’t it? Who doesn't like a bit of melancholy from time to time?

Melancholy is an old friend, a good ole chum (unlike depression, that mean spindly spirit of woe). Melancholy won’t fuss at us, and even allows us to eat too much bad food, or drink too much bad liquor, and shut out everyone who is important to us, even our own voices. Our melancholy has a bit of imp to it, an angsty charm, a cute way of winking at us, a way of drawing us into the indention. Funny how one can be flying through the sky, feeling the wind, and some twist of synapses, some bitter pill, some disappointment, and next we find we are falling. Melancholy catches us, then wraps around us its familiar soft blanket.

But wait! Just as we think we will stay huddled forever, melancholy takes its blanket from our shoulders, pulls us up by the hand, gives us that wink, and says, "I've got to go now. Ta ta!" And there we are, rising up from our hollowed space. There we go, the sun on our face, blinking in the light, brushing the dirt from our clothes, trying out a grin, flexing our fingers, pointing our toes, saying "Hey, I'm hungry for life now, give me a big ole plate of it! With a side of hope and a glass of thank you may I please have another." A stretch upward, a glimpse of blue oh so blue sky. A squirrel blinks at us and we laugh. And just like that, the earth turns turns turns and we dance around on the head of a pin.