Joyful Jabber

SOLSC  #13 - Slice of Life is sponsored every Tuesday by Stacey and Ruth from Two Writing Teachers.  For the month of March, I've joined the challenge to post a slice of life daily.

One of life's greatest treasures are my friends.  In  the poem "Joyful Jabber" Pat Mora describes the jays who gather behind her house.  I love these lines from the poem:

        "More than twenty jays gather

          at the table, jabber joyful.

         I think of my friend far away and wish
         we were feasting together,"

I've been thinking about all the friends I have with the letter "J" as the first letter in their name.  

There's Jan, my forever friend, who I met in 7th grade.  Our history goes way back - who else knows my dragon story?  "Aunt Jan" was my right hand assistant for many birthday parties.  Trips to OK to see family always begin or end with some time with her. Our time together speeds by and it's never easy to say goodbye.  
I met my friend Joanie (she goes by Joan now) when I joined her babysitting co-op.  We created Camp Joanie and Camp Mona to keep the kids entertained and give each of us some time alone during the hot Houston summers.  Her calm, cool demeanor taught me much about mothering.
Jolene arrived in Houston when her husband entered medical school.  She taught high school in a tough area of the city.  At that time I was staying home full-time, and she was my "angel at the back door."  She often arrived after school to help fold clothes, hold a crying baby, provide adult conversation and a link to the teaching world.   
My across the street neighbor, Joan, became my walking buddy.  We had a great system - when we were awake and ready to walk, we turned on the porch light.  We love to share our latest reads, her daughter became the older sister my kids didn't have, and Joan nurtured me when my mom died.  
When I moved to Seattle, another Jan became a dear friend.  Her wit has entertained me on many walks, we believe our husbands were brothers in another life, we attend film club and book club together, and we provide cat sitting services for each other.  (Isn't it time to get that new kitten?)

How fun to bookend this slice with my two Jan friends and contemplate how fun it would be if I could just sit down and jabber with these dear "J" friends of mine!  Each has been a tender influence in my life, and I want to thank each of them for the years of friendship we've shared together.