The joys of friendship

We all love our guys, our children, our siblings, our parents, but there is a special category of people who are precious to us -- our female friends. I am fortunate to know a delightful group of ladies. We belong to a volunteer group that educates the public on the value and benefits of trees in cities and towns. We get together once a month for lunch. Here we are yesterday at one of our local restaurants.

It is hard to put into words how much my friends mean to me. They lift my spirits when I'm feeling down. The bring lots of laughter into my life. And we work together on rewarding projects -- such as decorating a Christmas tree and donating it to our local arts council for auction. I hate to refer to them as "girls" because we are all mature adults (and some, like me, are seniors), but these "girls" are so creative. I learn from them each time we are together. Best of all, we enjoy spending time together. When we get together, there are no conditions. no expectations, just an opportunity to have fun and laugh a lot. To all of my friends, a big thank you for the joy you bring to my life.

Best to all. Joanie