Four couples got together last night.  This group evolved in an interesting and meaningful way.

I went to high school in Detroit with one of the men.  We ended up being neighbors in Michigan after we were married and had children.  They moved to San Diego in the mid 1980’s.  I heard from them when we moved to Alameda in 2011 because they were moving to Fairfield and looked forward to getting together.  We began to do so on a regular basis.

One night, my husband and I were at Rockwall Winery drinking wine.  A couple came over and asked if the adjacent sofa was available to sit at.  We encouraged them to sit and a conversation began.  That was the beginning of a friendship.  We get together regularly.

At a business group, I met a man who moved to Alameda from Maryland two years earlier.  We became friends and got together with our partners.  We get together regularly.

My husband and I brought all of the couples together for dinner at our house.  A strong group of friends formed. We decided to get together once a month and rotate homes with each bringing a course for the meal.

This is evidence to me that, challenging as it is, we can make new friends even when we are older.  It is a gift.