People who need people are indeed the luckiest

Editor’s note: This column originally ran in the Aug. 1, 2002 edition of the Daily Mail.

This has been a week of renewed friendships for me. Since I have begun writing these columns, and had books published from the columns, I have enjoyed making many new friends. Folks read my columns and feel they know me. We get together as old friends when we first meet. This is a wonderful privilege. Every one of my readers could write a book about their lives and each would be full of wonderful stories of their times and places.

We had the fun of sharing experiences with such a friend whose life is quite different from ours. Our rural backgrounds had little commonality with his big city roots. Our large families contrasted with his small one. Family histories and heritage were not at all similar. Yet with all these differences we find pleasure in a friendship that helps us each learn more about the other’s background and present life. We not only learn about the other, but we learn more about ourselves as we see ourselves through the eyes of our friend. I cherish opportunities to experience different lifestyles and backgrounds through acquaintances and friendships with those whose lives we touch.

Other friendships have been reformed this week also. Through a Nevada friend who moved away, I have become reconnected to an old college friend. At least 50 years have passed since my former housemate and I had exchanged letters, phone calls or visits. But through the courtesy of a mutual friend, the phone system and e-mail, we are now caught up on each other’s lives and are making plans for a personal visit soon.

Still another bonus came to me this week when l was speaking at a church in north Kansas City. Because of church friends, my sister and I had been invited to be the program for a United Methodist Women’s meeting. This was fun because it caused Ellen to come over here for an overnight and us enjoying making these presentations together.

When we arrived at the church I found that six of my friends from the Savannah church, north of St. Joseph, had heard that I would be speaking at the church, and had come down to hear the program. We had a chance, during the refreshment period, to visit together and try to cram each family’s news into this short time period. It couldn’t be done to our satisfaction so plans are underway for us to take our program up to Savannah. This will allow me to also see some special friends there who were not able to come down to the Kansas City meeting.

In addition to all these ‘gifts’ of the week, one evening I got a phone call from a former next door neighbor. She was sitting out on her patio where we had shared many pleasant evenings visiting with her and her late husband. She had been remembering these times, so she used her cordless phone and we had a nice talk while we were miles apart, but enjoying the evening together anyway.

A pleasant luncheon with a newcomer to town, a drop-by visit from a neighbor with shared garden vegetables, and a call from a reader wanting to discuss poison ivy treatments have all added to my week A very special moment occurred at church when a young lady who had grown up in the church, but now lives away from here, took time to come greet me personally after the service. The chance to share a brief moment and learn a little of her life made the day more special to me.

The mail brought other opportunities to remember friends as well as a reminder of an upcoming Elderhostel where I will be a leader. My topic is Laugh Everyday, so I look forward to sharing fun moments with a room full of new friends. If history repeats itself, there will probably be a connection through at least one of those attending to someone in my past. This happens to me quite often and reminds me that we better behave ourselves wherever we are because someone will know you or know someone who does know you.

Since some of my best friends are family members I don’t want to omit them from my pleasures of the week Regular phone calls, mails, and personal visits from family members are such a common part of my life that I can’t imagine what my life would be without them. I look forward to turning on the computer to see what message our daughter has sent today. A late evening ring of the phone usually means that our son has called to catch up on the news.

The sound of the sliding door to the porch lets me know that our other daughter or some of her family members are dropping by for awhile and a late afternoon call often comes from our oldest son or his wife.

Picking up the phone to hear the booming voice of my 94+ year old brother’s voice always amazes me, and of course Ellen and I are constantly on email making plans for our next get-together.

I like to be alone at times and love the quiet of our country home, but the joy I get through all my old and new friends makes middle age plus the very best of times.