Conversations with Friends

I miss those.


One thing I now miss about not working anymore and moving from where we had lived for 43 years is conversations with friends.

When I was teaching, both at West Central and at Ivy Tech, each and every day I would talk with people.  Well, duh.  I was a teacher. I HAD to talk to people.  But the key word here is 'with' because I liked conversations, not just lectures.  I liked the time before class began and just before the bell rang.  I liked the discussions we would have in the classroom.  I liked learning about the students and their personalities, their families, their activities, and their concerns.

I liked the adult conversations, whether in the office or in the hallway between classes or around the lunch table in the lounge.  I always enjoyed finding out what was going on in the lives of my colleagues, new tidbits of information about current and former students, and world news!

Not only those things, but I miss the comments. "Hey, Beth...is that a new sweater?  Love the color!"  or "Mrs. S!  Your new haircut looks good!"  or "I love those boots, Mrs. S.  Where did you get those?"  or  "How are the kids doing, Beth?   Doesn't Landon have a birthday coming up?"

Those are the perks of the day.  And it is somewhat ironic that Gary and I were just talking about this (and for the record, he just doesn't understand the void I feel) and today's devotion has to do with positive feedback and how important that is.

Today's trip north was therapeutic for me.  First of all, Amy and Brenda (Gary's hair stylist and my former stylist from years and years ago) were really happy to see me when I walked into Headlines today.  They both complemented me on my new sweater.  They both asked about the girls and the kids.   Amy really liked the picture on FB of Gary and his new hat.  I definitely enjoyed that visit.  Then at the bank I talked to Kyle (a former student who does part time security for the bank) for a while.   He is returning to school and he talked about recalling things he had learned in my classes.    When we went to Francesville,  I saw Hughie Sams (a family friend) as we pulled up to the salon.  I chatted with him, then he went over to talk to Gary.  Later Jim Ketchen (our minister) came in to make an appointment and talked with me, then with Gary when he left.  Anna Jean (a retired cafeteria lady at school) and Trudy (the mother of my stylist) both came in and I talked with them.  Of course talking with Lindsey (my favorite stylist) is always fun.  She is always so nice and complimentary about the kids and my hair and anything I share with her.  It felt good to be with people I knew and be able to talk with them and have them know my family and my daughters and my grandchildren and not have to explain anything to anyone.

So yes.  This is one thing I miss.  Conversations with friends.

Maybe I need to return there more often.

Or maybe I need to get out more here and make some new friends too!