I managed to "drop in" on a friend's time at a local coffeehouse this week, and was once again blessed beyond measure at the friends I have. It's probably no surprise that we don't see each other as often as we'd like but when we do manage, it always ends too soon with these words:
"We need to do this more often."
It still doesn't happen often enough, but just like my coat carries the scent of roasting coffee and lets me stretch out that cozy conversation just a little longer, I can linger over the sense of connection even those brief moments bring.
There are a lot of extra people that I'd love to have the chance to sit down with and just have a chat for a few hours. Sometimes out of curiosity, sometimes for purely selfish reasons and sometimes because I think there would be much to be learned. Here's my short list:
My dad. It's been a fairly longstanding tradition now that when we visit with my parents, no matter what town we're in, my dad and I find a local donut shop and get to talk for a time. I love my donuts, but I love those conversations with my dad even more. They don't happen as often as we live farther apart, but they're just as important to me.
Patti the Awesome Cousin. Like all the women in our family, she is smart, talented, funny and beautiful. Unlike all the women in our family, she has what some may call an non-traditional life and does it with flair and style and graciousness and a tolerance for stupidity that I could never achieve. I am so thankful for her and for the ways we have to stay connected across a continent. But the in-person moments are definitely the best.
Lisa Leonard. I don't know Lisa except through her blog and her creative work, but she, too, strikes me as a woman that is facing life with style and enthusiasm and a perspective that is fresh and unique and totally charming. I'm sure she faces challenges the rest of us will never face, but she also faces some that I have faced and I think we'd either be fast friends or else be too much alike to really ever get along well :). (And I harbor a secret hope that her studio isn't really usually that clean.)
Jay Williams. So this one might be tricky because he's dead. But Jay Williams is among my top three favorite ever writers for children. I think just some time to pick his brains would be fascinating. It also might confirm a few suspicions that maybe we'd disagree on some pretty big issues, but who knows? I think it'd take at least two hot chocolates to figure that out.
Wendy Lawton. Okay, so I've already had one mocha with this remarkable lady, but another one would be a real treat. She is a fabulous blend of creativity and clearsightedness that gives her a delightful perspective on a variety of topics. I strongly suspect that conversation with Wendy is very rarely dull.
Then there's Queen Latifah, Beatrix Potter, and Ken Dryden. Edith Head, Carol Burnett, and the guy that ran the snake and gator show at Reptile Gardens. But I'm afraid they'll have to wait for another time.
Who's on your list?
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