A Different Sort of Adventure

I am surprised that this hasn’t happened before now; no new hiking adventures to report this week. But that’s one of the realities of living in Indiana, uncooperative weather sometimes. Early in the week most paths remained hazardous and walking on the road wasn’t an option like last week. Later in the week in addition to some snow remaining on paths it rained. This situation got me thinking I should get some snowshoes next winter. But for now, I’m going to use this opportunity to share about a different sort of adventure, the impact of friendships.

Besides walking, another regular activity I participate in is bowling. It’s not aerobic, and it

doesn’t provide a lot of "steps" nor is it related to nature in any way, but it has been a highlight of my week for the last 15 years. My bowling team has changed

three times over the years so I’ve had the pleasure of hanging with 5 different of the best ladies possible. This is my current team…we are the Slackers. I wonder how we came up with that name? Our name has changed a few times too. When I started with the team we were the Sparettes. One fall when we returned to bowl we had become the Spirits. We believe that when team information was being transferred from the officers one season to the next that the team names were shared verbally, and that our mistaken name wasn’t a typo but a hilarious misunderstanding over the phone.

“Friendship is the instrument by which God reveals to each of us the beauties of others.”

C. S. Lewis

These teammates have also been friends as long as I’ve lived in Z’ville. Over the years, while bowling or sharing lunch we have covered topics as varied as our kids’ high school dramas, college adventures, weddings, new jobs, Church, our latest binge watching interest and current events. There’s been the joy of new births and tears with deaths. There are days we laugh and laugh and others when we’ve sat tensely watching something play out in the news. Bowling is simply the excuse to get out the door to be able to hang out together. I imagine we exasperate our opponents sometimes when we get so engrossed talking we forget we are actually there to bowl. We just know when it’s our turn to bowl we’re missing out on some of the conversation. Spending time with these ladies is tremendously cathartic. Their supportive friendship has been invaluable.

We were recently teased by another team that our team was so young that they should get a special handicap added to their score. After that chuckle I realized that we were playing the team that has someone still bowling in her 90s! This lady is so very kind and has been bowling as long as I’ve been there. She is my inspiration to continue to stay active and a reminder of the importance of having strong relationships in our lives no matter our age. As life marches on there are fewer natural opportunities to make new friends and the process becomes more difficult, but it is worth the time and effort to nurture friendships. When G. and I were preparing to return to Indiana our friend group in Texas gave us a photo of us all sitting together with this quote written below, “Make New Friends But Keep the Old. One is Silver the Other is Gold.” I feel this is a nice sentiment to hold on to as the scenery around us inevitably changes.

This week I didn’t get to enjoy the fresh air of the outdoors while hiking but I am still completely satisfied. I was given the opportunity to pause and appreciate how blessed I am with the adventure that long time friendships bring, whether at the alley or sitting across from each other chatting and sharing a glass of wine.

“A friend is someone who helps you up when you’re down, and if they can’t, they lay down beside you and listen.” Winnie the Pooh (one of my favorite philosophers)

'Til next time.