I do not remember much from my short career in girl scouts. My mom was the leader, we met in the school cafeteria, there were crafts, we went to camp and we sang a song. I just remember the one song.
Knowing my mother as I do, there is a decent chance that we did in fact sing only one song: Silver and Gold. Not only did she teach her troop of twelve 7 year old to sing each word on key she taught us to sing it in a round (my definition if a round: group sings one song with staggered starts).
My mom is a self professed creature of habit and if something works, why change it?
Singing Silver and Gold in cannon for 100 weeks straight might be the reason it has followed me through out my life. Its simple lyrics creep into my thoughts at random moments and I find myself humming along.
Do you know the song?
Make new friends
But keep the old
One is silver
But the other gold
That song has been with me for at least 30 years and last week I found a new meaning (don’t hold it against my intelligence).
The new friends are silver and the old gold (I had that before). But now I understand this song is reminding me that new friendships need work. If I want my silver to shine like gold, I need to consistently polish it or it will tarnish.
Luckily I enjoy people much more than I do a rag and Tarnish Shield (there is a reason my grandmother’s finery is packed away in a drawer) but honestly, sometimes I just don’t feel like putting in the effort.
So this week I’m excited. I get to put away my polishing rags and spend a week with 3 of my dearest “old” friends. We are in Estes Park, Colorado with these 3 friends and their families (there are 4 eight year olds, 5 six year old and 2 four year olds under 8 in ONE house but there is also wine) and it is so easy! No additional work required.
Even better another golden oldie came to Miami to vacation and stay in our home while we are away. We got to spend a day with her family on South Beach before heading out on our 4 hour flight to Denver (Really, 4 hours to the middle of America? It makes me feel like we’ve fallen off the side of our country in our new home in Miami!).
This week I will enjoy hashing out all of mine and the world’s problems AND discussing the latest gossip that graced the cover of People magazine. I will get to do just want I want to do because I won’t be afraid of offending someone if I speak up or go out on my own. But maybe the best part will be sitting outside after the kids go to bed without mosquitos, in 60 degree weather, surrounded by friends and enjoying the comfortable silence.
!
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