1010 Orchard Place, My First House. (Cheryl Howard/Borderzine.com)

Holding On and Letting Go

Teaching and Learning and Caring Blog

I drove up to Albuquerque for Thanksgiving.  My college roommate, Suz, was flying in from Portland, Oregon, and we were both staying with our friend Nancy who we had known for forty years. Nancy loves to give parties, extravagant ones, so between sighs and giggles over our youthful memories, we handled a lot of food, plates, silverware, and glasses. After all 20 guests had left and the dishes cleared, leftovers put away, we sat, just us’ns, and watched the Playing for Change video, Stand By Me, in our pajamas. Then we blew out the candles that took so long to set up and went to bed. There aren’t many things better than old friends, maybe a room full of cousins.  Nothing begs an explanation or an apology.