Do I have a circle of friends? Hmm? I don’t know. Circles are a round, closed line. That sounds pretty cut and dried, doesn’t it? I guess if I have circles of friends, the circle is elastic, it stretches to include more and more and in no way keeps anybody out; only invites others in. That’s the kind of circle that got together at the mall yesterday for lunch. Six of us, Kathy, Jeanette, Barbara, Mary Jesse, Joy, and I sat around the table eating and talking. Maybe next time there’ll be more.
Today, another circle of friends will be here for the cozy critique. Hopefully, everyone will feel able to gather around a different table, my mother’s hundred-year old table for coffee, cookies, books, and lively conversation. Peg, Jane, Judy, Helen, Nancy and I. And anyone else who would like to join us.
At Fran’s, I’ve met a new circle of friends. That circle may change from month to month, as new people come in. At Fran’s house, everyone is welcome.
Other circles include family, friends with whom I’ve traveled quite a few years, new friends I meet at book fairs and, of course, those internet friends I’ve never seen in person but feel as if I know them anyway. As an author, I’m privileged to include as friends the people who are cozy mystery fans. We share a bond of enjoying a mystery, a zany sense of humor, and a desire to have a satisfying ending to a tale.
Yesterday and last night, rain fell on Northwest Arkansas. It was great! When droplets splashed into puddles, those raindrop circles spread out, colliding with more raindrop circles until the puddle was a muddle of circles dancing joyfully in the rain. That’s the way with friendships. I guess there are really no circles after all, just people who share a common bond, who like each other, and enjoy being together. And those circles never shut anyone out but invite others in.
As Jethro (Darcy and Flora’s cat) says, “Life goes better with friends.”
http://pen-l.com/Mystery.html
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=blanche+day+manos
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