Friends in Low Places (under the table)

Clara celebrated her birthday on Saturday night with five of her friends. They ate pizza, talked incessantly, sang Hamilton in unison, climbed under the dining room table for a moment (still not sure why), pet the cat, and watched a movie.

Cake, popcorn, candy, and ice cream also played a role.

Oddly, almost all of them drank water despite the number of options available to them.

I watched from a distance, listened from across the room, and offered a sentence or two when asked.

Mostly, I beamed.

We want so much for our kids. We hope that their lives are filled with everything they need to be happy, healthy, and independent.

But near the top of those desires – perhaps at the very top – is at least one great friend. One good, kind, supportive human being who loves your kid almost as much as you do.

Clara appears to have at least five.

Most impressive, these five girls didn’t know one another when they arrived on Saturday night.

Two attend school with Clara.

Two are summer camp friends.

The last one has a brother on Charlie’s baseball team. They met while watching their little brothers practice.

Within an hour, thanks to their kindness, inclusiveness, awareness, and energy, they were talking like old friends. Laughing like they had been laughing together forever.

It was a beautiful thing to watch.

We want so much for our children, but good friends are near the top of the list.

Happily, joyously, brilliantly, Clara seems to have this well covered.