Last night, I enjoyed another great Girls Night with a group of remarkable women I’m lucky enough to call my friends. I was invited to the group as a newbie some twenty-odd years ago, and hope to still be gathering with these amazing people twenty years from now. We’ve all been through many incarnations of careers, health, marital status and motherhood. We hold hands through the tough times, and lift our glasses to our triumphs.
You would think we would run out of things to talk about, but last night, as usual, went well into the night. My husband always asks what we can possibly find to talk about for that long. I have no idea, but last night’s conversation started with several of the women’s daring, new short haircuts, then bubbled on to politics, food, relationships, children, parents, grandparents, books, movies, money, music, home repair, and travel.
Our menu is potluck – last night was baked salmon, sautéed sesame spinach, several salads, roasted potatoes and a light, chocolate cake. Several bottles of wine were also consumed…
These warm evenings are nourishing, AND…as a writer, my friends know that stories about their grandmother or ex-husband may wind up in a future novel! I do ask permission, forewarn, and change the names and details enough that they are never recognizable, unless they request otherwise.
Every human interaction fuels our writing, directly or indirectly. Even Emily Dickinson had visitors. I don’t know if I am an extrovert or an introvert. All I know is that I need both time alone and time spent actively engaged with others. And I, and everyone around me, knows when I’m out of balance…I get kinda grouchy. Long live Girls Nights!
A self-admitted book addict, Valerie was the kid with the flashlight under her pillow. A life of travel with exposure to many different cultures led to a pervasive interest in people, with degrees & teaching credentials in Cultural Anthropology & English.