The friendships my parents have built in their adult lives are extraordinary. I admire how comfortable they are with one another and how deeply loved they feel in each other’s presence.
My parents have only a handful of close friends, but those friendships are forever. There is an unbreakable bond between them. No matter how much time passes or where life takes them, they always find a way back to one another. Even when years have gone by since they last saw each other, you would never know it. Time simply does not seem to matter.
They call every few weeks, send the occasional text, and when they are together, they have the most wonderful time. One of my favorite people is my parents’ friend, Evren. She is down-to-earth, unique, and kind. There is never any judgment about what someone is wearing, where they are going, or who they spend their time with. There is not an ounce of jealousy, competition, or resentment. Only love.
Evren arrived yesterday, and my mom did not rush to clean the house or change a thing. She did not have to worry about what Evren might think because that is not the kind of friendship they have. My parents have chosen friends who feel like family. They are people who do not raise an eyebrow at how others live their lives. Instead, they embrace it.
When Evren arrived, she gave me a big hug. She laughed at our jokes, told stories, and sat in comfortable silence when there was nothing left to say. The friends my parents have are people I can spend hours with because they are deeply rooted in love, generosity, and the simple comfort of being.
This morning, Evren and I sat on the couch drinking tea and talking about life. We listened to the birds outside and looked through photo albums from our last cross-country road trip to South Dakota. Much of the morning was spent outdoors while my mom and Evren drifted in and out of conversation, just as old friends do.
After lunch, I went upstairs for a while. Before that, we had sat outside together in the sunshine, eating lentil soup from mismatched bowls and listening quietly to the world around us. When I came downstairs later, they were recalling the plots of the books they were reading. After a few minutes, each returned to her own book, my mom in the big red chair and Evren on the couch.
I walked by again not long afterward and found them fast asleep, books resting on either side of them. How beautiful it is to feel so loved and comfortable around someone that you can drift into a deep, happy sleep because everything around you feels safe and good.
I admire that.
I admire the people my parents have welcomed into their lives and the way their souls remain connected to one another. They have found a kind of peace that feels rare. It is one of the most beautiful things I have ever witnessed.
My hope is to fill my own life with people who fit so naturally into it that they become family.