Thursday, September 4, 2008

The last of life, for which the first was made


On Thursday evenings when Mrs. Rhymeswithplague and I aren’t otherwise committed, we like to eat out with a group of old friends at a local family-style (translation: cheap) restaurant. And when I say “old friends” I mean OLD friends. This started out as the senior group, as in senior citizens, from our church way back before we ourselves were included in that category. The participants have changed over the years as people have moved or died or become home-bound with the frailties of age or disease. The diners in the current group range from 62 to 90 years of age. Except for Patrick, Esther’s brain-damaged, 40-year-old son whom we all love and who always attends with his mother, I am usually the lone guy in the group now, unless Wayne comes with Sharon. Lewis and Anne are both gone. Jeanne’s Hugh died in June. Moffie is at home with Bob, who has Alzheimer’s. Audrey is at home with her Bob, who has Parkinson’s. Several ladies are widows. Face it, old age ain’t for sissies. We hope to be active as long as possible.

Anyway, Audrey has invited the group for dessert tonight, so we are planning to gather at a different restaurant to be nearer Bob’s and Audrey’s house. As we haven’t seen Bob for several months, we’re looking forward to this evening.

Robert Browning said it best in “Rabbi Ben Ezra” and I think it applies to friends no less than to husbands and wives:

Grow old along with me!
The best is yet to be,
The last of life, for which the first was made:
Our times are in His hand
Who saith ‘A whole I planned,
Youth shows but half; trust God: see all, nor be afraid!’

6 comments:

  1. That's a lovely sentiment. I hope you have a warm, fulfilling evening. (Or is that filling?)

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  2. Have a great time!! Love you!!

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  3. Oh, now you're bringing tears to MY eyes! I'm thinking friendships become more precious as we get older. Enjoy your time with all these special people tonight!

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  4. Hello ! Happy to read you. Thank you for your message. Absolutely, you can include my photographs on your blog, it may be a great pleasure to me to see the pictures of "my best french nature" published by friends all around the world ! Pictures are for me than air, water and sun, for everybody. (See on "Mes coups de coeur", I have a new blog where I classify my favourite photographs by sort. Tne name is "La vie ça va")
    Good day!

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  5. Haven't seen your tracks on my blog the past few days.......I hope its due to happy things going on in your life, and not something adverse.

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  6. Time seems short now days Bob. I do love that you meet up with old friends even as things change. They are a lucky bunch.

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