Monday 23 June 2008

Scrambled Eggs for Breakfast

For the past three years
I have worked with three lovely ladies
and they have become close friends.
I shall miss them so much
when I move to my new job.

Every Monday morning we ask each other

What did you do at the weekend?

Today I shall say:

Wasn't it wet on Saturday!
But it didn't matter because
we went shopping in the sales
to look for a new suit for MrM.
~
MasterM got lost in Kent and phoned us
from a farmyard full of barking dogs.
~
MissM finished her charity walk - yay!
~
Oh...and MrM bought seven more guide books...

and we had the best scrambled eggs on Sunday.


It is by absorbing these tiny details
over a long period of time that we understand
the gentle ebb and flow of each others lives.
If you listen carefully there are minutiae
which warn you of sadnesses and alert you to changes
even if these are not spoken of.

And, as I have discovered this weekend,
that is what real friendship is.
A sharing of each other's lives:
joy for joy and sadness for sadness.

I am so very grateful.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Very beautifully expressed.

Fairlie - www.feetonforeignlands.com said...

Alice - you have put into words exactly what I missed most when I stopped working full-time when my oldest daughter was born - that cameraderie of working with people with whom you would discuss what you planned to cook for dinner, the pet's latest trip to the vet, issues occurring in the extended families...

blackbird said...

I had breakfast with my two friends on friday morning and that's exactly how I feel about them. Often there is more in what we don't say over those breakfasts than what we do.

I hope you can find time to still see those friends...

Mary said...

And I suspect you are referring to the exchanges of joys and sadnesses in blogland too.

You have touched me today.

Now to more prosaic matters - J went to some food thing in Regent's Park on Saturday and yesterday he was to be found at the Carmelite Priory in Kensington where we got married, Hamblys (?) , Petite Bateau and Bibendum last night. Did you see him?

dragonfly said...

To friends...

Unknown said...

My closest colleague at work has worked in several other places before having to suffer me - she has kept in touch with several little groups like this and two or three times a year goes out to supper with each group - I admire her for maintaining the contacts, I'm not that good at it - but she, and all her friends, seem to get such pleasure out of catching up every once in a while - I have a lot to learn from her

dottycookie said...

Such a lovely post, Alice. I do miss that intercation with my work colleagues but now I have the playground instead (!)

tess said...

beautifully written Alice, very thought provoking, friends are so important, although they don't always know what to say, it's lovely to know they are there. I'm sure these friends at work will miss you too.

walter and me said...

So eloquently written...and so true. To friendship, and the good times and dark times that we all share.

Anonymous said...

It won't take long til you have weekend talk at your new job too. It is the evolution of new friendships.

Ali said...

Yes.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful post. You will make new friends in your new job. I always look forward to talking to my best friend about what we are up too. She is in France on holiday and I really miss talking to her everyday.

I love the egg picture. Our egges in the US are dull and do not have pretty stamps on them.

Gina said...

You have a beautiful way of expressing things we all feel Alice. I'm sure you will make wonderful friendships in your new job.

Melody said...

*sigh*

What a lovely post. You so have a way with words.

BTW, I too made the best scrambled eggs on the weekend!

fifi said...

I missed my best buddy from my old job soo much that I went back and did a casual day on monday, and when she saw me she screamed with joy. We spent most of the day clutching each other !!

carrie said...

So very true Alice. They will still be there, it will just be different. For all of you.

xo
Carrie