Thursday, July 07, 2011

Alphabe Thursday - "L" Is For Life and Love" - July 7, 2011


I must confess, I was married more than once.  Actually, I headed
to the altar several times, without success.  Finally, during a visit to
New Orleans, my pals gave me a T-shirt that said, "Husbands may
come and go but best friends last forever."  It hangs in the hallway
of my home, as a reminder that, sometimes, being single is best
( I applaud those of you who are happily married - I just never was
able to achieve that state! ).

I have now lived over sixty-six years.  I entered Charity Hospital
School of Nursing a month short of my 18th birthday and met a
fellow freshman classmate, Martha Meaux, of Lafayette, Louisiana.
She has remained one of the most important people in my life -
my closest friend - since that day.  It turned out that, my senior
year in high school, in Columbus, Georgia, I had dated her first
cousin.  Small world, huh!

We bonded immediately in nursing school though we weren't in the
same rotation.  Thankfully, that first year, we did live on the same
floor and at the same end of the hall so we spent  a good deal of time
together.  She came home with me and, during the next three years,
our friendship grew.  When I left New Orleans, six years later, I
often came back to visit and I always stayed with Martha or "Meaux",
as I called her.

I was living in Boston when I met my first husband, an Air Force officer,
from Louisiana.  We wanted to get married in New Orleans and Meaux
became my wedding planner, taking care of all the arrangements from
ordering the cake, getting the flowers, finding a place for the reception.
She met with our priest friend, Father Gerard Poche, to make sure all
was secured in that regard.  Of course, she was my maid of honor!

When my son, Shawn, was born, Meaux was his godmother and we flew
to New Orleans to have him baptized since we wanted Father Poche to 
do the honors.

Throughout the years, for the good times - and the bad - Martha has
been there for me.  I was there when she married her handsome
attorney husband and delighted in the birth of her two daughters. 
She has kept me up to date on the happenings of our classmates in
the New Orleans area and she has been my anchor in the only other
place besides GA and San Francisco where I have spent the longest
part of my life. 

To my boys, she is "Aunty Meaux" and to me, she is the ultimate in
love and friendship. 

Yesterday, forty-nine years since we first met, she arrived in San
Francisco to spend two weeks with me and, last night, we giggled
and laughed together like we were still young girls in nursing school.

Forgive me if  I'm a bit remiss in posting, responding to comments,
and handling blogging responsibilities in the next couple of weeks -
I'll be having fun with Meaux! 

I am participating in Jenny Matlock's Alphabe Thursday - check out
the site and join in the fun.





20 comments:

  1. I so enjoyed reading your story with Martha and I'm so happy for you!

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  2. I love that you two have stayed friends for life, that's such a great thing!

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  3. I hope that the two of you have an absolute ball!

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  4. I know just how you feel about "Meaux!" I have a friend just like her! We met in eighth grade and have been friends ever since! (I just talked to her on the phone a few minutes ago.) It really is lovely to have a wonderful friend! Thanks for sharing!

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  5. This is a wonderful story of friendship, Carmen! I also still have friends I met in nursing school. Enjoy your friend's visit

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  6. Forty-nine years of friendship! Wow! It is really amazing how some people become a part of our lives and walk with us so long.
    Have fun in the next few days!

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  7. You are so lucky to have such a friend for life. Cheers to you both!!

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  8. Josep -
    What a fun time we're having - already eating too much, that's for sure! Great dinner last night, listened to Anne O'Brien and my favorite piano player afterwards for a couple of hours in the restaurant lounge.

    Judie -
    More and more as we grow older, we realize the value of our friendship!

    SG -
    I could not imagine life without Meaux. We really are total opposites in many ways but she not in the ways that matter.

    Everyday Goddess -
    We've occasionally had our disagreements but have been smart enough not to let them last. True friendship is not worth it. I have several of my nursing school classmates who have remained friends throughout my life...and one, Camilla Arthur, who was a high school boarding school classmate, that has been a friend for over fifty years!

    Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti -
    I think I spent my whole budget for Meaux's visit last night at a little Italian restaurant,
    Zingari's, at the Hotel Donatello. I've been dozens of times to their wonderful jazz lounge and had their bar menu but, this time, we dined at their restaurant first. We had a great meal - but very pricy for my retirement income!

    Mama Zen -
    Thanks for the good wishes...so far, so good...at least in the eating department!

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  9. Close friendships are what keep us going! Such a very important part of our lives.

    thanks so much for sharing.
    Barb

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  10. best friends are always more important than blogs!

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  11. Barbara Rosenzweig -
    It has been such a joy, just these two days, having Meaux here with me. We've laughed - and even shed a tear or two, talking about our youths, growing older, and all the days in between.

    Sharbytes -
    Amen to that, blogging has been special to me in that it has brought me many new, important friends but those old ones are cherished for such a long time!

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  12. Grab that friendship and enjoy it! Don't worry about blogging. I lost my best friend after 33years of treasured time with her. Have fun!

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  13. Glynis -
    I am sad you no longer have your friend of 33 years. My friend, Meaux, has had two neurosurgeries which were terrifying for me but, thankfully, she came through them like a champ. We both realize that, at 66, every day more we have together is precious!

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  14. Definitely - take your time and enjoy your friend!

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  15. I hope you're having a wonderful time. A friend like that is a treasure! My best friend in the whole wide world is a person I mentored when she was a new nurse - and our night shift crew from that time are all still close. We can get together and it's like no time has passed at all. Enjoy Meaux!
    -Catherine

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  16. Friends like that are few and far between.... so spend time with her and enjoy yourselves/
    Maggie X

    Nuts in May

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  17. Old friends are the best! Have a wonderful time with yours!!

    =)

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  18. Carmen, I enjoyed reading this. You have had such a rich and varied life...travels, loves, adventures...I'm glad you have special friends to share these things with.

    Thanks for linking.

    A+

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  19. You're lucky, both of you, to keep up a friendship for so long.

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  20. Hope you are having a wonderful time with your dear friend!
    What a blessing to be friends for all those years!

    Loved reading this!

    Margie:)

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