The Aspens

Over 30 years ago – none of us can remember how long ago – I asked four women if they would like to meet with me. I was in an organization called Bible Study Fellowship and was the teaching leader. I realized that since I was always the leader in the groups I was in, I had no peers. I chose these women for qualities that I thought I lacked and needed. One was sensitive, one was gracious, one was young and eager and one was deeply spiritual. Later we chose another woman to be part of our group. She was just plain fun.

The first time we got together it was a little strained since we had no agenda and didn’t know what to expect. The first summer we got together once a week. By the end of the summer, we had become friends. As the years passed we became very close friends and have gone through so much together. One year one of the women brought back preserved Aspen leaves from a skiing trip and we named ourselves The Aspen Society. This is what we have called ourselves since that time. I found a magnet with the words Aspen Princess in the Denver airport last time I went through. Of course, I bought each of them a magnet. We often bring each other little remembrances when we travel.

We have gone through and supported each other through illness, husband’s infidelity, children’s drug use and pregnancy and coming out. We have been there for each other through divorce, deaths of parents, and cancer. We have commiserated with each other as our children married and divorced and have been in jail and have made bad choices of one kind and another. We have also listened and commiserated as WE made poor choices. We also had a lot of fun. We had our colors done and our ears pierced. We used to meet at various places and tried new restaurants but now we always meet at the same place at the same time since we aren’t sure we can remember changes.

The Aspens had breakfast together on Saturday. Two of our number have moved away and we miss them. We have had birthday parties for them in absentia. We pray for them and keep up with their lives. There is an old song that says:

It's friendship, friendship,
Just a perfect blendship,
When other friendships have been forgot
Ours will still be hot!

That is what we have – a perfect friendship.

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