It's about friends, really

Morning, Ms J. It's Sunday morning. 7:00. Dan and Meagan are still sound asleep across the hall. I've been up for an hour already. Shaved. Showered. I really like the quiet solitude of early morning, and there's something special about Sunday mornings. Something calm and comforting.

I had some friends over for dinner on Friday night. But let me refill my coffee mug first, and then I'll tell you all about it. I'll be back in a jiff.

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OK. I'm back. Mmmm ... Lovely coffee. I put a little sprinkle of cinnamon in it this morning. I like it with just milk. I stopped using sugar long ago ... Oh, sorry. Yes. Back to my story.

A couple of weeks ago, I was asked to provide some entertainment for the reunion party at my church. Members past and present will gather there on October 30 to rekindle old friendships and perhaps make some new ones. A dinner is planned and after dinner, there's to be entertainment. Music will be provided by some congregation members who are so inclined. But the organizers were hoping for more variety.

"Maybe you could put on a play for us, Dale. You must know lots of actors who could help."

I'm already busy with a play, and struggling, quite frankly, to learn my lines. I'd have to be crazy to take on another project, and to present it so soon.

"Sure. I could do that. I'd be happy to help out."

"That's great! Thank you so much! I'm sure you'll be fantastic.

So I called on my friends to help. Bob King. Christine McCaw. Leigh Ann Owen. Actors all. And dear friends. They agreed to help and so I invited them over for dinner to discuss what we might do. I had some ideas, already.

Three years ago, we were all involved in a local play called "All I Really Need To Know, I Learned In Kindergarten." It's a brilliant play, taken from the book of the same name, written by an American, Robert Fulghum.

The play was, by our standards, hugely successful. We staged a remount the following year by popular demand. Audiences loved it. The cast and crew loved it. That play, Ms Journal, was probably the most fun I've ever had on stage.

Both play and book are simply collections of short stories - observations, if you will, of Life. The human experience. Thought-provoking. Sometimes funny. Often bitter-sweet. Wonderful! Perfect for a church audience.

So we dined, my friends and I, on roast pork and peppers. Potatoes. And pie for dessert. We talked. We reminisced. We laughed. After dinner, I found my copy of the script and we took turns reading the parts we had performed on stage. I could feel the excitement around the table. As each person read, I watched the raptured faces of the others. There was joy in their eyes, and in mine, tears.

We're going to do it, Ms J. Not the whole play, of course. But a few of the best skits. The ones we've done before. The ones we're most familiar with. It'll be fantastic. We'll be fantastic.

Gosh, it's wonderful to have friends! I spent the evening basking in the glow of their smiles and reveling in the sound of their laughter. They like me, Ms J. They enjoy my company. We have fun together. We are actors and so we're quite animated at times. Quite funny. I'm grinning now, as I think of them.

Bob. Leigh Ann. Christine. Thank you so much for the Light you bring to my Life. I love you all. You know?