Love and Friendship

I’ve introduced you to my sweet friend Winnie a while back. She’s the most interesting person in almost any room. She’s 85, a practicing life long catholic who is still on fire, a feminist (a catholic feminist, a rare bird indeed), and loving friend. We don’t talk surface. 

She is my favorite walking partner but we have not been walking much because of the rain and frigid cold. The local mall offers walkers the chance to exercise inside before the stores open and Winnie and I decided to give it a try. We were not disappointed.  Many people were there and, while not exactly warm, it was comfortable. 

After a short car ride, we walk in the big main doors and start our way around. We got about 50 feet from the door and Winnie stops and turns to me with a beautiful smile and says, “So, what’s on your heart today?” That’s where we started and we never stopped. We spoke of gratitude, marriage, children and heartbreak. She doesn’t just try to offer advice. She also shares her struggles with her marriage or faith, etc We talked of alcoholism, forgetfulness and the strange phenomenon of becoming a little more transparent as we age until we become altogether invisible to much of the world. 

Then she said that old age is a time to change one’s focus from within to outward. It’s now our job to love, show love, give love and spread love whenever and wherever we possibly can. 

She does that. I’d like to try.