To Everything Turn, Turn, Turn

If everything does have a season, this is certainly the season for weddings. This weekend I attended my third in as many months and my second involving a child of a long time friend.  The best thing about this wedding was that I got to spend a weekend with a group of people I've known for thirty years.  I've written about them before because they're well worth writing about; four couples that have laughed and cried  through dating, marriages, births, job losses, deaths of parents and now this - watching the little people we created grow up and start their own families.

The wedding locale was beautiful, set in a rustic lodge in a state park.  We were all looking forward to a couple of days spent enjoying the great outdoors; hiking (if our knees held out), canoeing (if the river didn't smell like dead fish), and sitting out on the veranda enjoying a glass (or two) of wine  (no need to worry about working body parts for that one).  Funny how a little thing like 104 degree temperatures and 90% humidity will squelch any hopes for outside activity.  But what did we care?  We were together and we were going to have fun.

We hunkered down in the air conditioning, pitched in to help with wedding details, and did our best to hydrate.  (Doesn't frozen custard drowned in hot fudge help you stay hydrated?)  We also talked about everything from religion to tennis; job worries to vacation plans; doctor visits to movies.  When you know someone as long as we've known each other, there's a shorthand that takes over. You know you can be yourself; that there's nothing you can't share.  We'll call each other on whatever we have to, we'll lend a shoulder if anyone needs one, and we'll have a (gentle) laugh or two at each others' expense.   And, oh, yeah, we'll be there for each other no matter what.

As I watched our friends' daughter say her "I dos", I couldn't help noticing she seemed to have a great group of friends. They had all gone to high school and/or college together and seemed a tight-knit, supportive group that had a lot of fun in each others' company.

I can only hope they find a way to end up three decades from now with what we and their parents have - a circle of lifelong friends that can make you smile through just about anything.