Monday, February 19, 2007

Shining Bright


How does a best and blessed connection develop, expand, grow, sustain over the months and years? I can't rightly answer that, but I can tell you that if a friend is a gift you give yourself, I have been very lavish in my wonderful friendship with Ces. This piece is for her, with thanks for a wicked good time this weekend!

It’s a February day when the sky finally assumes its rightful chilling brilliant blue and the sun has gained enough confidence to bounce off the gleaming crusted snow and across the tiny fully white hills that make up this park. Two solid black shadows stretch four feet before us on this frigid day. We are arm in arm, walking in silence and noticing every sign that the world is right today, that this day alone will right everything that could be wrong-- today, this day, when fortune permits two best friends to steal and share three days to catch up and wind down, to begin at dawn in the little green and salmon room off the kitchen for a fiesta cup of coffee, and then to linger, to hold hands, to notice nuances, to retell stories that are so long and so much that afterwards, neither can recall or retrace a single word or a single moment

In this hour, the teacher teaches and the extinguisher lies down the hose. The sun approaches noon and everywhere, in between the glossy iced over pebbles and the boundaries of the mostly frozen stream, even ten stories up where the sun breaks through those thin proud pines-- there is the serentity of friendship and the absence of foreboding. This is stolen time when one moment falls and folds into another, telling a story that is all too real, and all too rare, to be remembered on common days.

This is a day when the torch is put to rest and the brilliant light of friendship shines forth anyway. This happens in the presence of grace, which is the way that love works best. This happens when two people who know every petty detail instead look across to one another and whisper a prayer of thank you.

This is a day when no words, no deed, no correction or diversion or direction is needed. This is a day when two friends walk arm in arm in the park and remember there is a reason they are safe in the world.

.

22 comments:

  1. Wow! Lovely post. It was damn good to read. For me, friendship defines life, makes it worth living.
    Peep into my blog on friendship greeting cards for some beautiful e-greeting cards and friendly tips.

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  2. Hello KJ, This must have been a great weekend while meeting your friend Ces. I read her post about Ces and your lovely dog Stella and how those two enjoyed each other. Beautiful pictures! It is heartwarming to read your post about this visit. I think there is more to come??? :-))) Greetings from the Netherlands.

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  3. Oh... this warms me and fills me with joy! What a beautiful post about your weekend! It's so rare to find such a connection, and it gets harder as the years go by when we become too wrapped up in our lives of "what is" to be open to "what could be." You and Ces had a magical crossing and were open for the friendship that was there to become! What a beautiful picture! (I loved reading Ces' post about Stella:>)

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  4. No words are needed between friends at times. I cherish my friend so much.

    You post made me feel nostalgic and filled me with warmth.

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  5. This was beautiful kj. You've capture the last weekend in a few words. I can actually feel how you felt in that park. Must have been a wonderful three days.

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  6. Beautiful. Both of you and your friendship and this post.

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  7. "the absence of foreboding"...The absolute magic a beautiful day and a beautiful friendship can create... And you captured it all, and more in words....Just beautiful...
    Love grows....

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  8. My dearest KJ,

    You are my dearest friend and I love you. Thank you for a wonderful time at No.9 Thank you for sharing your life, your family, your friends and Stella with me.

    Love,
    Ces

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  9. wieneke, i hope someday ces and i meet you and hildegarde!

    carla, a magical crossing--yes, that is an accurate way to look at it.

    gautami, thank you so much...

    menchie, one of these days we figure out how to hook up with you!

    ww, thank you thank you

    singleton, you pulled out my favorite line. and yes, love grows.

    ces, what else can i say? xoxo

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  10. Love that picture.

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  11. That is so beautiful . What lovely words to convey a friendship that doesn't need or ask for words but just to be.

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  12. Hi KJ, I'm so glad you stopped by my page - Your weekend with Ces sounded like so much fun. Stella sounds like a real sweetie too!
    So glad you made a connection with Ces...your happiness is thanks enough!

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  13. Ahhhh, you and Ces : this sounds so wonderfully uncomplicated and it is so rare : to be on the same wavelength and nothing has to be explained. That will give you two energy for weeks !
    P.S. That intercontinental meeting you are talking about : who knows, right ? Would be fun and inspiring, that's for sure.

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  14. And they laughed and laughed like young girls rolling down the hills.
    JB

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  15. Really lovely, KJ.
    Very evocative post!

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  16. I love that shadow photo. It's been interesting following this story on both yours and Ces's blogs.

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  17. Love this.
    So beautiful.
    Perhaps you could bring Ces with you on your European tour ;-)
    x

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  18. liz, your blog is better and better every time i visit. i LOVE your sense of humor.

    chief, even though ces and i talk non-stop, i know we hear eachother equally well when we don't say a word.

    joy, how nice to find your comment here.

    hildegarde, any idea how to channel an intercontinental meeting? that would be just awesome!

    jb, thank you for a comment rarer only than your photograph on this blog (smile)(xoxo)

    hopeful, nice to hear from you. thank you.

    cream, you have given me a high compliment. thank you.

    csl, i'm following your stories too.

    caroline, i will try to bribe ces to accompany stella on her tour. cross your fingers.

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  19. I did read this earlier but apparently I didn't comment (oops) so I just wanted to pop in and tell you I enjoyed it just as much the second time!

    Now shut up. Both of you. :)

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  20. KJ, we have several countries to visit!

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  21. Never mind. After reading your newest post, I suddenly feel very sheepish about feeling sorry for myself over at Ces' a couple of days ago. It looks like you two have a private, self-sufficient bond that is unusual and special. You just keep writing about it and I'll just keep enjoying from afar. xo

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  22. andrea, special bonds have open arms!

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