DAY 28, MARCH 28, 2024, FRIENDSHIP, FOOD, & KITCHEN
Good Morning, Everyone,
I have said a lot during the Blogging Challenge, and as I thought about the situations and things I’ve shared, some of you reading my blog entries might think I am perfect or have it all together. Well, I am far from perfect, and I definitely don’t have it altogether. If I didn’t have people who are like family watching out for me, I wouldn’t be where I am today. People, like my sister and her husband, talk to me often on Zoom. They live in Louisville, Tennessee. The first question they ask is not how I am but whether I have eaten in the past two days. They scrutinize me on their screen as if they can tell whether I’ve eaten. I call this friendship and sisterhood/brotherhood combined.
Another couple watches over me, but they live closer to me than my sister in Tennessee. They come from Romania and live about twelve or fourteen kilometers from where I live in Germany. They don’t call me on Zoom; they show up.
I am one of those writers who forget about eating when I sink into my story. Thus, writing until I have finished the first draft and skipped two or three meals is expected. This couple feels that. My doorbell rings, and there they are with a delicious three-course home-cooked meal. Again, I call this sisterhood/brotherhood wrapped into friendship.
I would be lost without these people and four or five other people I know who have adopted me into their hearts. They care, love, and have studied me enough to know my habits. I don’t have to pretend to them. My life has become an open book, and I trust them.
We all need three or four friendships like these. You don’t need to have everybody you relate to become your friends on this level. But you do need the kind where you don’t have to watch what you say because if you don’t, they won’t understand. You need friendships that feel like they are your family. I am blessed to say that the people who are close to me and in my inner circle come out of different countries, from South Africa, Canada, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the USA, and they know me.
Today, I have a three-course meal for dinner. You guessed it. My dear Romanian family brought it over yesterday. The dessert is Tiramisu, my favorite Italian dessert.
So, I have learned that perfectionism doesn’t cut it. It doesn’t bring closeness. It is the willingness to show your vulnerabilities, to laugh at your mistakes, to be able to say I’m sorry even if you’re hurt, to walk away from an argument instead of walking into one, to stand firm and loyal to the people you commit to even though you don’t understand what the other is doing. These are the elements that build bridges instead of walls.
In closing, I added a few pictures of my kitchen to this post. As you can see, it is small but my tiny jewel. When my friends come over, we always have a meal together. While they cook, I write.
Have a charming, Holy Thursday.
Shalom shalom
Pat Garcia
Pat, you have carved out a nice life for yourself over in Germany. You only need one or two very good friends you can count on. If you’re lucky to have that closeness, you are truly blessed.
I’ve always had one or two very good friends in my life as far back as I can remember. I got alone with everybody in grade school and in high school. I didn’t have to choose a side, or at least I didn’t allow myself to have to choose sides. There is nothing like having a real best friend. And I was always lucky enough to have someone in times of need. I call them my guardian angels. It seems like they would appear when I really needed someone.
Now that I think about it, God was really my best friend. (This sounds like another book to me). 🧐🧐
My Dear Shirley,
I say openly that God carved out this life for me. I didn’t know it at the beginning. In fact, I didn’t see it. Honestly, I don’t know when my heart changed toward Europe and living in Germany. I recognized it first after being here for five or seven years. I went home to be with my family for Christmas, and when I got to the home where I had been raised, I experienced homesickness for my own apartment in Germany. At that time, I lived in a very nice apartment. I cried and cried and almost started to change my flight so that I could fly back home immediately. But God opened my eyes so that I could see that if I did that, I would be hurting my parents badly. So, the peace of God came over me, and I stayed the four weeks I had planned. But I knew during my whole stay that God had shown me that Georgia was no longer my home. He detached Georgia from being my home and left the people I loved there in my heart.
I hope you can understand what I am trying to say. It was at that point that I became an international traveler, meeting people, getting into the languages, and, most importantly, learning to accept myself. It was at this time that I discovered that God was my best friend, and I wouldn’t change that for anything in the world. He is my precious jewel, my pearl of great price. Sure, I have people that God has brought into my life, but no one, absolutely no one, is as dear to me and means more to me than my relationship with the Creator. He will always be the love of my life because He is life.
And Shirley, I agree, you have another book within you. Maybe two books. But you’ll never know until you start writing them. Take a book at a time and write those books. You’ve only just begun.
Love you, Lady.
Shalom shalom
Love you back! 😍😍
Great words of wisdom, especially during these holy days. Happy Easter.
Thank you so much, Gwen. I struggled to write this post. I felt inadequate and insecure, and I relied on the only Person in the Godhead who could show me how. And He did.
All the best, and take care.
Shalom shalom
Good friends and family will notice when you are uptight or trying to be perfect. If they are good friends, you should never have to act that way anyway.
I see you posted the dessert photo because I mentioned the absence of it yesterday in my comments. Never had a homemade version, mine was always cooked by Olive Garden. Love it though!
I’m glad you have friends who care and take notice. I imagine you do the same for them as well.
Your kitchen sparkles like a jewel and is just the right size for you.
By the way, I love Tiramisu. Yummy!
Hi, Pat,
Your elements to build bridges instead of walls should be adopted by everyone! I’ve learned and adopted the same elements, but some of them took a lot of time for me. One of the reasons I love this latter phase of life so much is that I’m finally relaxing into the peace that passes all understanding, and God is growing the fruits of the Spirit in me. As we all are, I’m far from perfect, but those closest to me accept and love me anyway. Like your friends do you.
My Romanian friend makes Tiramisu with rum. The most delicious treat I’ve ever eaten. And it came with a buzz. I was glad my hubby was driving when we visited her!
Your kitchen looks perfect. Small and compact, with everything you need. I like the color of your cabinets.
Blessings!
Patty
None of us are perfect Pat. You are right we all need the love and kindness of others. Tomorrows blog from me will be about some of the kindness I have received throughout my life. Blessings to you in this holy week.
Perfectionism doesn’t bring closeness – what an amazing and important thought, especially today and during this holy week of receiving Grace upon Grace! Thank you, Pat.