Girls of the Round Table

(This cartoon was recommended by my friend Lauren and bears absolutely NO RESEMBLANCE to anyone who might or might not be mentioned in the following post. I promise. It also reminds me that I might need to re-read a book my firstborn daughter gave me a few years ago entitled How Not to Become a Little Old Lady).

One of my favorite perks of retirement -- ranking just slightly under getting to sleep past 5:00 a.m. -- is the luxury of long lunches with good friends. After years of having less than 25 minutes to put away materials for the last class, get out materials for the next class, use the restroom, walk to the far end of the school, go through the cafeteria line, find a place to sit, choke down my food while catching a few sentences of "what's going on in the 1st (2nd, 3rd, 4th, or 5th) grade world," hurrying back to my room just ahead of the next class, and putting on some fresh lipstick (You didn't really think I'd be able to concentrate on teaching without my lipstick, did you?), leisurely eating while doing something enjoyable is very high on my list of fun things to do. I can't imagine trying to diagram the sentence I just typed.

In the last year, I have started attending a wonderful Bible study on Monday mornings, and invariably several of my fellow attendees "do lunch" afterwards. Some days there are as many as 15-16 who go, but most of the time we have 7 or 8. There are 4 or 5 restaurants that we rotate between, but we are definitely open to trying new places. :) Depending on the tables available in the restaurant, we might end up in a long rectangular arrangement so conversation is only effective with those in close proximity. But this past Monday, we were seated at a large round table, so all of us got to hear everything. Perfect!

I've used the title GIRLS OF THE ROUND TABLE on purpose. This most recent group ranged in age from 45 to 86, with the majority of us being in our 50's and 60's. Surely we have the wisdom that comes with being a "woman," but mentally -- or maybe I should just speak for myself -- we're still girls. Our topics for discussion range from politics to church business, but most often we share about our children, our husbands, and our grandchildren. It's an equal opportunity group, you understand.

Last Monday I found out some pros and cons about taking a cruise, and a few of the hazards involved when a husband retires. One week I learned that one of the women worked for the FBI during the J. Edgar Hoover days, and during another I heard about the amazingly creative business that one of the husbands had started. These women are intelligent, willing-to-be-transparent, and insightful. They are all interested in growing in their Christian faith and learning from each other. Best of all, they love to laugh.

I often wonder what kind of image we project to the people who serve us or who might be observing casually from other tables. Hopefully, we are kind and considerate to our waiter, not being too demanding, and tipping generously. I also hope that we show joy and portray the genuine care that we really do have for one another. Some folks who happen to look might notice a strange habit we've acquired. Now, when there are a lot of us and we're seated in a long rectangle, we usually just ask someone near the middle to say the blessing. But, when the group is smaller, we play a quick thumbs-up game when the food arrives. The last one to catch on and get their thumbs up is the "winner" and has the privilege of saying the blessing. :)

I invariably leave these lunch gatherings with a fresh perspective -- on myself, my marriage, my children, my church, and the world around me. I'm also sharpened by these women -- "Iron sharpens iron, so one man (or woman) sharpens another." Proverbs 27:17 A great investment of time, wouldn't you say?

"Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of a friend springs from their heartfelt advice." Proverbs 27:9