Old Friends, Old Priorities

By Dorothy Denne

I bumped into an old friend this morning. Well, not literally but we did give each other a hug. He and I used to volunteer for the same group, so we saw each other several times a week. Then life pulled us in different directions for different reasons and our visits became few and far between.

Lately our lives have changed around again and we seem to be popping up in the same places on a frequent basis. He commented on that this morning and I said it is because we both go to the places where the elite meet. That sounded good to us.

Then he laughed and said, “we better be careful or a rumor might start about our meetings.”

That sounded good to us too – the rumor, that is. We figure we might even promote it, ’cause, at our age, it would be good for our image.

Old friends are good aren’t they? New ones are important if for no other reason, again at our age, you sometimes need replacements. New friends are good for other reasons too but old friends are just special. They are like an old pair of slippers, they’re comfortable.

Dr. Dean Ornish said, “Spending time with friends and loved ones is a basic human need, as basic as eating, breathing, and sleeping. That need so often goes unfulfilled in our culture. And, it threatens our survival.”

Now I knew that and I’ve said it often in similar phrasing. He just got his words printed in a place that pays better. That’s okay. I’m not starving.

Speaking of starving, did you notice that when Ornish spoke of the basics he listed eating before breathing and sleeping? Now that man had his priorities straight.

With the start of a new lifestyle, I considered looking at my own priorities and maybe making some resolutions. Then I considered further. My old habits have brought me this far, so they can’t be all bad.

Good friends, good food, good laughs. What more could I ask?

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