Friends in the Afternoon

It was a beautiful day, on May 26, 2012, when a gathering of friends came together at The Shadowbrook Restaurant in Capitola, CA to celebrate a very special person, my sister Kate Judson, for her 60th Birthday!  Friends and relatives shared delectable food, marvelous wines and meaningful fellowship together.  With gorgeous flowers provided by my other sister, Nyna Dolby, loving words shared by Katie's daughter, Carrie Urso, daughter Elise Judson (by letter), her husband Dave, and our Mom, we laughed, cried and celebrated the positive ways our lives have been impacted by this precious person.  The theme for the event was "Friends in the Afternoon."  This was descriptive of the gathering in more than one way!  To commemorate the gathering, I wrote a poem, which was also shared in written form on the tables.  Enjoy the poem, enjoy life!

Friends in the Afternoon



Friends in the Morning.
In the fresh scrubbed pink cheeks of dawn,
The lime green budding foliage shivers in delight, anticipating the unknown promises of day.
Neophyte and innocent, the naïve flutter into the expanse.
Together we expect that life is thrilling.


Friends at Noonday.
Seemingly certain of strength and resolve through accomplishment and acclaim,
The brightness of the sun begins to send some to the retreat of shadows and forms of relief.
False protection blurs vision, insight, optimism – realism ruling the day.
Together we face that life is challenging.


Friends in the Afternoon.
Dwelling on glimpses of fleeting moments of years gone by,
In visceral nostalgia, the seasonal leaves fall and are stirred by the randomness of autumn breezes.
And the subtle reflective moments of afternoons, as the daylight wanes, bring the challenges of day into perspective.
Together we discover that life is good.