Dining With Friends

Something I like to do is to go out and eat. Usually when I go out, it is with my family. But this time it was on a Saturday night with a group of women. One was my friend from Cleveland; the other was her friend and her friend’s sister.

Growing up – I had friends. I went to sleepovers or had my own. I went with friends to dances, football and basketball games, to the movies or out to eat pizzas. This was from the time I was in 8th grade until college.

Marriage brought a few friends into my life. But with a family, I didn’t have or make the time to cultivate friends and go out. I had one or two close friends to visit over coffee, while the little ones played with each other, and the babies napped. Each child brought more work into my life until ‘going’ out with friends was a distant memory.

Now my kids are gown up with their own families and things to do. I babysit some of the time, and have my kids over for dinner other times. Or we might go out to eat. To share a dinner out with friends is an oddity or rarity for me. But it does happen once in awhile.

This past Saturday evening, I went out to dinner with friends. I felt like a real life, adult when I drove to The Strip District and met the four other women at one of the restaurants. For a few hours I wasn’t a mom or a grandmother picking up a stray crayon off of the floor, or wiping up a spilt drink on the table.

For a few hours someone else did the cooking, serving and the dishes. Someone else brought me a meal. I carried on a mature conversation with a few women in a very cool restaurant setting, with other adults eating around us. I really enjoyed myself.

My advice to all women is to make friends with other women, go out with them for coffee, lunch or dinner once in a while, or as often as you can. Even though you’re busy with your life or with your family or work, having that time away with friends is a plus. It recharges your life batteries. It shakes up the old routine. It just keeps things fresh and new. Plus there is nothing better then being with other women to laugh and talk and renew your spirit.