I am in Alabama this week, helping my friend, Judy, recover from Rotator Cuff surgery. This time reminds me of the long lazy days of Covid when we were housebound, able to read, cook, and clean closets. Those days flowed seamlessly from one to the other. These seven days remind me of those.

While Judy is sitting with her arm in a sling, iced down and raised on a pillow, she requires little care. We have watched endless movies, eaten great food prepared by family and friends, and watched the days flow into nights. I treasure this time, aware that we never know what tomorrow will bring. Being able to sit and talk with this dear friend of fifty-six years is a pleasure that I do not take for granted. Knowing that her surgery will relieve her of her shoulder pain makes the cause for this respite feel like a vacation for me, if not really so for her.    

I realize that I do not slow down enough, always on the go with a myriad of activities that keep me busy.   The last movie I saw at the theatre was The Notebook, and before that Sabrina and Forrest Gump. You probably can’t remember how long ago those movies were at the theatre! I do not watch movies on TV either, so the ability to do so is a pleasure I am enjoying. Have you seen The Holiday, Miss Congeniality, It’s Complicated, the Other Woman, or The Proposal? I encourage you to find a weekend in which you can TV movie binge and watch these movies. While I enjoyed them all, my favorites were The Holiday and It’s Complicated.

January and February are slow months, good times for us to slow down. We should not need a friend’s shoulder surgery to give us a reason to do so. Whether it is watching movies, catching up on our reading, or even doing something more active that we do not have enough time to do when life is busier, enjoying these slower months can provide us a much-ended respite.  

It won’t be long before I will be back in North Carolina, looking back on this week with fond memories and a few extra pounds, treasuring this time spent with a dear friend.