Weights and Measures

"Friendship is the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person, having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words."  ~George Eliot

Wednesday night was one of those stolen moments blessings with my husband. The oppressive heat of this summer had broken, hundreds packed up a picnic dinner and headed to the Missouri Botanical Garden.  The gardens sponsor free concerts on Wednesday nights in summer. This week's artist was the Ryan Spearman Band, folk artist and multi-instrumentalist. Speakers were placed over several lawns in the garden to accommodate the crowd.


Dan and I first walked around the garden in the fading light enjoying the beauty of the lantern festival art works. Twilight provides its own allure.  Then we found a place to lay our blanket and enjoy our food, the music and each other's company. 


As we sat there, munching on blackberries, I looked around us and noticed that the assembly was less about the music and more about the people. The gardens, the music, were the backdrop but the plot was all about people. Everywhere were people talking, laughing, playing. No one was shushing anyone so they could hear the music. This night was about relationships. It was about connecting with others. It was about friendships.


There is no way to put a value on friendship. It is blessing beyond measure.