Morning Thoughts--Friendships

My long time friend just left this morning for her drive back to Oakland. I met her when our children were a year old in the summer of 1967 in San Francisco. That is where we were living at the time. She drove up to visit with me over the weekend.  I  hadn't seen her for ten years. What a treat to see her again!

I moved out of San Francisco when my son was only two years old.  I went to Santa Cruz and my friend moved to Oakland. Over the years, I always thought of myself as the country mouse and visiting her was like visiting the city mouse. I could only stay a few days because of feeling overwhelmed by all the stimulation.

Our lives are even more polarized since I have moved to Mexico. We spent this weekend shopping. Grocery shopping, shopping at the second hand stores, shopping at the big box stores. She filled her van up with things she had bought.  Once again, I felt overwhelmed by all the stimulation and crowds. Every store was packed with shoppers. My friend even got into a fender bender in one of the parking lots. I found myself longing for the simple life of Ajijic. 

For once, I am the one who is staying in one place. My family is now in India. My old friend is on the road back towards Oakland.  I am still here.  There is something to be said for staying in one place while the world swirls all around you. Lots of time to think. I like thinking time. And mostly what I am thinking is that I love my life in Mexico and I wouldn't trade it for anything........

Last night my friend said to me, "What do you do in Ajijic? Don't you get bored?"

So I brought out my blog posts and my articles on Accesslakechapala.com and the monthly Ajijic calendar and the monthly magazine from there and spread them all out before her. I went on and on for about an hour and I think she lost interest in the first ten minutes of this speech. But for me, it was fun. It refreshed my memories of my home in Mexico and why I love living there. She is a city mouse all the way. No matter what I told her could convince her to even want to visit me down there.

But we still respect and love each other, even though our lives have gone into such different directions. Even though it had been ten years since I saw her last, it felt like only a month. That is what friendships are all about in my mind. Respect and love.

Being with her reminded me of my former self, of our former selves....... I like this time of my life better because finally I am beginning to know who I am and what I want. That took years to find out. I am a country mouse, contented to live in simplicity. Mexico is the ideal spot for me. Mexico, the land of Manana.....