FRIENDS
This was Christmas 2024, the 7th Christmas for me without my beloved husband Hal. It is not getting easier, it is getting more sad and harder every year. This year I planned to have a nice evening with my dear, sweet Jessika, not just a friend, she takes good care of me all year long. I was going to order a wonderful dinner for us from Lynn’s Bistro here in Kirkland. A first class establishment, creating delectable food. We also will have our favorite wine and maybe a brown butter pear tart with our coffee. Add in some nice music, a little laughter and we would pass this as celebrating Christmas. I definitely could not say, “I had a lonely and sad Christmas.” But how would this all sound without my Jessika. The main ingredient here, is a friend. Nothing else would be important.
Plans were changed, when Jessika had met a wonderful Gentleman, named Giovanny. This very nice and gracious young man made the offer to fix our Christmas dinner, right here, serve it and join us for the evening. A Christmas present early for Jessika and me. How wonderful, see, another friend!
Giovanny created his magic in the kitchen while Jessika and I had a lively conversation. The dinner plates appeared, they looked like a Stil life, beautiful. The steak was done to perfection, drizzled with a little of the tasty juice from the pan and sliced. On the side something very special, at least to me, beautiful Chanterelle mushrooms, my favorite mushrooms. And these were gathered by Giovanny in the forest, that makes them extra special. A flavorful and delicate taste of these golden nuggets. To contribute, just a little to this great dinner, I had baked a chocolate Gateau and served it warm with coffee.
The reason I wished to tell this short story is showing that earthly things, riches of monetary value or wealth do not make the ingredient to happiness or contentment, it is the dear friends we have, people who add such value to our lives, we certainly can not live without.
I have mentioned before in some of my short stories, how much of a part in my life now, without my Hal, my friends play, they are my riches and the greatest gift to me, that I could wish for.
As long as my life is enriched by all my wonderful friends, keep the Christmases coming!
Thank you dear Giovanny and dear Jessika for your friendship and making Christmas 2024 memorable for me.
I knew, when I first met Ilona many years ago, that she was a special person. Her friendly smile and eye contact, when I walked by her desk, invited me to stop and get to know her. And when I got to know her, I learned how much she cared about others, and what a loving and generous person she is. These qualities draw other loving and generous people to her, like Jessika. I haven’t had the opportunity to meet Giovanny yet, but he sounds wonderful too. It is heartbreaking to read about Christmas not getting any easier for Ilona after losing Hal, but I am so thankful for the joy that Jessika and Giovanny brought to her.