It’s a frigid Sunday morning in the middle of the USA. Later today, Rebecca and I will host Mike and Maggie, two close friends, around this dining room table.
When they come through the back door at the scheduled time, 5 pm, I’ll say, ‘What took you so long?’
One of them will offer a bottle of wine in an elegant, but slightly worn, gift bag that we will reuse when we return the favor in about a month.
Last month, Maggie prepared beef stroganoff, with a mushroom-free serving for me. Mike offered precisely measured Old Fashioneds with square, cubed ice.
Today, Rebecca has planned salmon, Brussels sprouts, squash, and rice. My task is to remember to take the ham bone out of the freezer for their dog, Shadow.
Their friendship and company, like the wine and reusable tote, are gifts made more precious by this Holiday season.
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