I made up with a old friend today, worked out our differences, and decided to go forward, and forget the past. It wasn’t easy to do, things have been rather hot between us lately, and I was waiting for my feelings to cool down substantially before I approached again. But I am glad that I have done it. If I were to wait to long, I might have regrets, more disappointments, and sadness. Besides now that the summer heat is over, and the cooler temperatures reign, it’s a lot easier to visit my garden, my good friend. During the heat of summer, I must admit to neglecting the watering, the weeding, the deadheading. It’s that kind of friendship, “a you get what you give.”
And sometimes you end up giving too much, and getting little in return. This is the year of giving lots, and not really getting a return. My garden has been a big disappointment as far as friends go this year. Early promises, and then long wet spring, hardly makes for a great friendship. Everything was stunted, short, and timid. Tomatoes, beans, flowers. The only thing that really grew were the peas, and they took months to show up.
So as I take stock of our friendship, I do realize that each one is different, and good friends are hard to come by. And it takes a long time to grow a old friend.