Old Friends and Old Shoes

Sometimes there is nothing better than slipping into a comfortable pair of shoes...ones that you have worn a lot and that have molded to your feet and settled into a comforting, pleasing shape. Since my foot surgery, I haven't been able to wear a shoe on my right foot, and I so look forward to being able to slip on a pair of shoes that just seem to wrap themselves around my tender tootsies and envelop them with a sense of peace.

I have some old friends that are kind of like those comfortable shoes...you can slip them on and be comforted by their presence and their history with you. One friend in particular I feel that way about is my dear friend Sharon. We have been through a lot together over the years. We were both middle school teachers together for quite a few years; some of the escapades we got ourselves into are enough to write a book about!

Sharon is one of the best teachers I have ever had the pleasure to work with. She was just inspiring to watch as she interacted with her students in the classroom, treating each one with respect and making learning an adventure and fun. Unfortunately, her teaching career was cut short when she had an accident at work and has suffered injuries that left her unable to finish out her teaching days. A good teacher never loses that teaching ability, even when he or she leaves the classroom, and I feel fortunate that I can call on Sharon to help me with summer reading program activities with the kids at the library. That inspiring teacher muse just pops out when she gets in front of children. She's led sessions on science, she's read to the four- and five-year olds, and she and another terrific gal were the Ladies of the Royal Tearoom for our Alice in Wonderland special event two years ago, and hopefully those two will do it again this year for the preschool children this summer. I actually think she and Carole had as much fun as the kids!

Instead of being bitter about ending her days in the classroom the way it happened, she has maintained an up-beat spirit in spite of enduring a lot of persistent pain and lots of therapy. Not one to look on the dark side, she's almost always laughing and enjoying life. I know she has her darker moments, especially as she, over the past several years, has had other health complications, but she pulls herself up from despair and smiles again. She has been a TeamMate mentor for the last couple of years to a student, and I know she really cares about this young lady. I am sure Sharon has been an inspiration to her.

Sharon is responsible for our chasing the creative muses on more than one occasion! One year we got the bright idea of making and selling pumpkin-decorated sweatshirts at Halloween. I don't know if we thought we were going to get rich, but we were really ready to take on the fashion world by storm. We sold a few, dealt with one disgruntled customer who we finally decided we could never make happy, and only lost a few bucks on the whole adventure! So much for becoming the next fashionistas!

Another time, our community was going to have a huge local celebration, and Sharon, another friend Janet, and I decided we were going to have a Victorian Tearoom for the occasion. We were thinking we'd have hundreds of people beating down the doors to come to this exquisite party, so we baked all kinds of scones, fancy tea breads, little cherry tarts, made lemon curd and other Victorian-y foods; we made all kinds of crafts we just knew people would swoon over, and even found dresses for the occasion.......

We served something like 40 guests, and had lots of fancy foods left over. I think we figured out we weren't destined to run a tearoom, either!

Every year for quite a few years, Sharon, Deb, a friend from school, and I would take a road trip for a day and treat ourselves to shopping, lunch, and lots of yakking while we were on the road. We'd go somewhere different every year. The three of us haven't gone on a "road trip" for a long time because our lives changed--I began working at the library and Sharon retired; Deb is still at the school but it's hard to find a time to get together. But I know if we do manage to find some time, it will be just like slipping on that pair of comfortable old shoes...we'll pick up right where we left off the last time!

Nowadays, most of Sharon's and my visiting is done over the phone. It's not unusual for us to talk for over an hour. My husband used to shake his head when we'd talk for an hour after we'd taught together that very day. He could never figure out how we could have that much to talk about.....but then, he is a man of few words!

We still get together every once in a while, and we do have a project we need to schedule a date for: making creme brule. My neighbor (our good teacher friend Ruth), recently moved to South Carolina with her husband Charlie. The movers wouldn't pack the new mini- torch and propane tank she had purchased to use for making creme brule, so she gave it to me with the understanding we'd use it to make the fancy-schmancy dessert. Maybe we'd better put the fire department on alert that day!

I know we have a lot more adventures ahead of us....maybe even when we move into the retirement homes we'll still be kicking up our heels (and I'll still be wearing those comfortable old shoes!) Thanks, Sharon, for being a comfortable old friend!