Feast of friendships

Food that nourishes the soul is the very thing that brings friendships together. A banquet of love, laughter and life experiences right before our eyes.

These aromas that linger from among the leafy salad is no ordinary garden food - these are the greens of hope and future gatherings that keep us tied as we mature and fight through the jungles of life. To exchange our laughter with one another's joyful triumphs we do genuinely as we recognize with very few words spoken that we understand each other. The sheer beauty of these friendships that no animosity nor discrimination exists between us. We are free to be who we are. We are there for one another when in tears, fits of laughter and also when in doubt. We do not judge our decisions as we each know without conditions we are there to pick one another up when life hits us with questions and curves. The most precious thing is that we never, ever walk away from one another. 

The sustenance of these feasts are the plates that are filled with hearty foods. These foods are not only foundation of our friendships, but also the core of our own individual selves that we bring to this thing call 'friendship'. Each of us have our own unique way of laying out this foundation. I see it as a good bread dough. It is not enough to just have the ingredients but also the love and passion to blend just the right amount together to watch it grow with patience. Just like the dough, We each have our special blend of personalities that are added, Then, 'pronto' the bread is baked and each add out own topping to the warm bread which is now our foundation. 

The sweet delights that follow are refer to them as our 'big breath of ahhhhhhhh'. This is when you may think there is no more you can fill your tummy with - but I have a surprise for you - There is always one friend that tempts you with those ever so precious homemade desserts that are just looking at you with the colors of the rainbow. This feast does not end until each one adds their final words of encouragement to one another. Just like the freshly made gelato that we each share from the middle of the table, our lives have taken similar paths. This alone, is the testimony that we fear not the one bowl of gelato, nor those 'double dips' of fear-we celebrate our togetherness and give thanks as we each sip our cafe' and devour every aroma, every mouthful and look at one another and burst out in laughter. How on earth can one little person eat so much?

With sincerity I dedicate this piece of writing to all those who have been in my life. In all my 46 years, you know who you are. From a little babe, through adolescence and now as a mature woman and mother. Each one of you have your own unique place in my life. Just think of it as you being one of the ingredients added to the feast.

'Cornucopia' - Artwork by Rosa Carrafa