I often go home to visit my family and friends in the New England area. Stepping out of one’s routine and into another place of Earth’s turning, naturally provides perspective. Distance from worn patterns of daily life creates an opportunity for reflection and for garnering new insights.

Going home to the place of one’s early beginnings, of visiting the past in present times, of spending time with cherish people, is a time for centering one’s heart in the strength of Loving relationships. I had one such memorable experience on my recent trip in Vermont as I spent a week with my family.

 Especially remarkable is the friendship I share with three extraordinary women. Our friendships have continued for over 40 years; since age fifteen when I moved to Vermont. There is something invaluable about friends who knew us before we took on the roles and expectations that often accompany adult life's responsibilities.

Friends, who I spent hours with “just hanging out” listening to music, sharing dreams and ideals, making mistakes and getting into to mischief. We sometimes look back and wonder how we survived those times and turned out reasonably well.

No matter how many years pass, no matter how many moons wax and wane without a word or phone call, time is irrelevant when we are in each other’s presence.  No judgment, no expectations, just a pure joy in seeing one another again.  A true friend to me is one who knows of my mistakes, weaknesses and vulnerabilities and loves me, still. I am blessed to have friends such as these.

One has a quirky sense of humor and a great flair for adventure, loves learning romance languages, studying film, harbors an outrageous laugh and contagious humor, is willing to speak out on issues, a cat lover extraordinaire, and always has a great story to tell. We like talk by phone from time to time and we share a warm familiarity that friends sometimes do.

 One has a light hearted spirit, friendly and open-hearted in nature, an easy going way of being that draws you into her circle, is grounded in the simplicity of a full life, a hearty laugh, loves to throw snowballs to her dog, an artist that spins a potter’s wheel. We rarely talk or keep in touch between visits but when I come in she drives a long distance to join in reunion.

One who is spiritual seeker, a thinker, self-educated, a lover of the path of wisdom, lives a natural life of simple abundance, creates artistic English gardens, intuitive, sees with clarity, relationships are primary, guided by an inner voice, and home is a sanctuary that reflects her divine nature. We have often shared insights and meaning  through e-mail and I love the depth of our conversations.

Each of us uniquely is different in our approach to life and in our experiences but we share a common bond as cherished lifelong friends. As a write this I am keenly aware of my good fortune to be able to call them my anam cara (soul) friends. As with my family, whenever I have been in their presence I leave strengthened by their love. I am grateful for how they show up in my life.

As caregivers, our encounters with a person (and their family members) during the course of an illness may be brief but the love that we offer can have a lasting impact. What a suffering person will remember most, above all else, is how they were treated. Each time we reach out to meet the needs of others with a loving response, we know we are home.

~liz Sorensen Wessel

Note: Internet photo, Thanks Barry!