As I mentioned in a previous post, I am very lucky, even blessed, with many wonderful friends.  I have always enjoyed and found comfort in the company of my "girlfriends", but now that I am a woman of a certain age (48!), I enjoy it even more!  To that end, I decided to form a group of friends from all the areas of my life.  I call it the Ladies that Laugh Club. 

 The first Friday of every month, at my home, everyone is invited to come for a potluck night of laughter, talk and good company.  We had our first group the other night and we had a ball.  Everyone brought wine and some of the most delicious food I've seen in a long time.  We laughed and talked from 7:30 until midnight.

  The ladies that came ranged from late 30's and up.  We have many more similarities than differences.  Some of these ladies are my dear friends from work, some are clients, some are neighbors, some I exercise with, some are just old friends from my past.  Many didn't know each other but I saw more than one woman exchange telephone numbers with another.  New friendships were formed. 

It turns out that human beings have far more in common than they have differences.  Especially women.   Most of us were married.  Most of us had children.  Some are menopausal, some wish they were!  We all have had great joy and piercing sorrow.  We have all enjoyed achieving accomplishments and felt the disappointment of failure.  Through all of that, the common thread is that we all need friendship and companionship.  Laughter and camaraderie make life more joyful.  Forming friendships with clients makes the job more meaningful.  Knowing that others know how you feel makes life easier.

Having a few laughs

Realizing that the woman you are talking to is really good friends with your exhusband's new wife and realizing you really aren't bothered by it is funny!

Figuring out that you go to the same doctor or your children have been assigned seats on the bus and now have to sit next to each other is funny!  Especially when you have never met before tonight and this just happened to get mentioned in the conversation!

Being asked how you know Susan Mangigian and telling everyone you really don't know her, but you happened to exercise with her earlier today and she invited you is funny!  Having the courage to come to a party where you do not know anyone is amazing!

My friend Robyn put it perfectly, as she always seems to do:  "Jeanette and I had a terrific time - the ladies we talked to were very personable and I see why they are in your world. Many beautiful women. I looked around the rooms and thought, how wonderful we women are, how full of hope and strength and humor and how wonderful it is to share, knowing we have so many threads of similarity in different casings".

So to my dear ladies that laugh, I thank you for coming to the first meeting of the group.  I look forward to many, many more First Fridays.  Until then, live, love, laugh.  I'm here for you when you need me, and I know you are just a phone call away.