Short Stories From 10 Years Ago – June 21, 2004
It’s Summer – Have Lunch With A Friend
Short Stories From 10 Years Ago – June 21, 2004 It’s official – June 21st – summer is here. I doesn’t feel like summer. Spring has been reluctant to relinquish her hold on the city and summer is struggling to make an appearance. However, as soon as the weather cooperates there is nothing nicer than to sit outside with a friend and have lunch.
Some colleagues of mine, Big included, helped me price a house this morning and afterwards I invited Big to drop by my place for a bite to eat.
I made a fresh salad in a big bowl with lettuce, tomatoes, baby carrots, cucumber and tuna, topped off with a creamy poppy seed dressing and fresh ground pepper. A bowl of crunchy crackers disappeared with the salad and we shared a bottle of white wine. We sat in the pergola and dined in style, surrounded by flowers and the sounds of the water fountain and chirping birds.
Big and I haven’t seen each other much this year. We’ve both been busy and time just seems to fly past. It’s almost the end of June and high time to take a couple of hours to enjoy each other’s company. We talked about “stuff” and shared a good laugh about life in general, stupid people, frustrating clients and the diplomacy necessary to confront friends and family over sensitive issues.
All too soon I had to get back to work and Big had some research to do for a client meeting tomorrow. She left about four o’clock and I returned to my office to put the finishing touches on an offer I have to present for a client this evening. As I sat at my computer, I thought again about how essential it is to take breaks from a busy schedule to connect with friends.
I don’t do it enough. Before long it becomes second nature to ignore personal time and focus only on work. I’m guilty of this – I need a harsh reprimand.
A wonderful lunch alone or with a friend. The setting – a beautiful outdoor patio – one day a week for the entire summer. This is a recipe for a summer well spent. Perhaps if I treated this as an necessary element of my physical and mental well-being, I’d pay more attention. I hope so, fall and winter will be here all too soon, and I’ll lament those lost opportunities to sit in the sunshine with a fresh breeze on my face, and giggle with a friend over trivial nonsense.
Taking time for friends is important – making time for myself should be a priority. I wonder how it happened that work became such a harsh taskmaster. Perhaps I should be saying – how did I allow it? I don’t like it when the buck stops with me. But darn it all – there is nowhere else to turn. Live and learn – perhaps it’s never too late to teach an old dog new tricks.
