Off To Take Her Home: We just had a marvelous evening. Our daughter and son spent a cozy Fall dinner in our home with two of our dear friends whom they have not been with since they were little children. The wife was a classmate of mine in graduate school and remains as dear to me as anyone. She taught me a great deal about mothering, as she predated me by two decades in the parenting realm and modeled deep caring and devotion to children while still thriving as an individual in her own right.

Our daughter wowed them, as did our son. When I asked our daughter what she enjoyed most about the evening, she answered, “talking about movies, actors and actresses.” As always, her memory was stellar, her humor sparkling.

Earlier this afternoon, we whisked our friends over to see the CRS (Continuous Residential Support) apartment and meet staff and our daughter’s apartment-mate. I invited our daughter to join us for dinner and was thrilled when she said yes.

Full Circle: This was a full circle moment for me. Thirty-seven years ago I was single, childless, immature for my years and embarking on a career. In the intervening years I married, parented and faced challenges that I had not expected. My girlfriend watched all of this development with empathy and wisdom, often holding my hand and my heart. Tonight she shared in the bounty of my riches, two wonderful children, both of whom are entering young adulthood with great prospects and good hearts and a husband who has provided the anchoring for all these riches. And no one understands more than this friend how far we all have come in this journey. This was a powerful moment for me. To have a friend who pulls for you and catches you when you fall and then celebrates you when you reach your goals, that is a powerful friend and a powerful friendship. Thank you!

©Jill Edelman, M.S.W., L.C.S.W. 2011