Annette, a friend from my high school days, has lived in Paris, France for more than thirty years. She recently sent me this photo she caught on her I-Phone. It is a street scene in Paris of three older woman sitting on a bench wearing coats of red, white and blue. Symbolically -- American in Paris.I thought it a lovely photo not only for the symbolism for both Annette and I, but that the women were also of the age we both now have entered. And if I were to read a bit of fantasy thoughts into the photo, I would hopefully want these three women to be long-time friends with each other.
For good health one needs to eat right and exercise so the media and medical world tells us. Right food and exercise are fine but for over all well being -- friendship wins hands down.
Make new friends but keep the old, one is silver and the other is gold. -- Girl Scout song.
The better part of life consists of friendships -- Abraham Lincoln
What a fab photo!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment Jayne!
ReplyDeleteJayne is so right! It IS a "fab photo." I might offer, too, that red, white and blue are also France's flag colors. Pairing that with the saying about making new friends and keeping the old, we've long had our differences with France, but she is a dear and faithful friend. She protects her "pastoral" population, doesn't "default" on ruraldom but encourages and supports it...much to the consternation of the whiz-kid attitude in the U. S. (toward our truly agrarian --simpler-- segments of our population.) France is currently one of the most stable economies in Europe. As is Germany. They both have cost-free health care for everyone; free day-care; free college for everyone; free training in trades for others who choose to go that direction; and they respect their farmers as being a solid and vital component of their economic structures. We need to look to France and Germany for guidance in moving forward through the coming decades...Red, White and Blue, true friends!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Barbara!
Elora
Elora -- Thanks for pointing out France's positive attributes! I know my friend Annette would agree with you. I do feel that we need to look elsewhere for remedies to this country's current and on-going complex problems. We also should consider the wisdom of the, "regular folks" of this country. The folk of all religious and non-religious persuasion, ages, gender, ethnicity, indigenous, and color. Not necessarily in that particular order. Perhaps common ground could evolve from local non-political town meetings where only civility prevails. Or look to groups such as THE ELDERS a non-political, non-profit group that has peace activists such as Jimmy Carter and Desmond Tutu. The what's in for us attitude needs to change and can change. Elora - thanks for your comments -- always appreciated! -- barbara
ReplyDeleteBonjour to you all. It is not quite as bucolic in France as described above - it is good though, that is for sure.
ReplyDeleteI think blog is fantastic as it covers so many different issues.
I had realized just how valuable friends can be - thank you Barb for that gold and silver adage. It makes so much sense.
Annette (who took the picture)