Old Friends

Can you imagine us years from today
Sharing a park bench quietly
How terribly strange to be seventy
            Simon and Garfunkel
                                    "Old Friends"                                    

I was looking through some old emails yesterday and noticed I hadn't responded to someone who was one of my best friends growing up. In it he shared some funny and poignant memories about playing together in our old neighborhood. One particular incident he recalled was of me at a little league opening day as I triumphantly emerged from underneath a pile of bodies attempting to retrieve the first baseball of the season thrown out by a local celebrity. I looked up from the computer and stared at that ball sitting on my dresser. A few years back I found it in an old shoebox and I've kept it my dresser ever since. Tears came to my eyes as I realized he was the only one besides me today who would remember that incident and would understand the importance of that baseball to me.

I 'm turning seventy in a few days and along with the lyrics from the Simon and Garfunkel song came poignant memories of those days of youth and of those special friendships that nurtured and helped shape me into who I am today. These are friends who knew me the longest and who remain the co-guardians of the memories of my youth. Friends who I am eternally grateful for having been in my life.

So here's to you Tom, Jimmy, and Merch. Thanks for your gift of friendship and for your love and support. Thanks for the memories.

Oh how terribly strange to be seventy.                                                                                  .