The Short List

Saturday, my son & his fiancé invited the Mrs. & me to attend a “Christmas party” at their house.

I had some sneaking suspicions, as the anniversary of my annual orbit occurs this week, and it’s one of the ones that end in “0”; the 1911 was 40 the year I was born.

Sure enough, when we entered, there were family & friends there, all hollering SURPRISE at me.
You really shouldn’t holler like that at an old guy.

Anyway-

After being immediately outfitted with a mug of beer the size of lake Winnipesaukee, I mingled with the company.

The attendees were the people on my “short list” of friends; you know, the good ones, the ones you can count on when things are bad, the ones you prefer to hang with over all others.

To my complete amazement, every one on MY short list was present.
Logic would indicate that these very same people have ME on their short list.
That is humbling, indeed.

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As one grows older, the short list shortens, as folks come & go. Some are there for life, but you never know which ones that will be, until they are time tested.
I have friends, now, that have been so for so many years, that unless I really piss them off, I believe they will remain so, for the rest of my life.

Thank you, family & friends; the gifts were terrific, the camaraderie just plain fun, but the very best gift from you all was your gift of self, to mark our friendship on the occasion of my birthday.