On the first day of the year 2022, yesterday, someone sent me the cutest little video by text: a little doggie singing, "Thank you for being a friend." My 7-year old nephew was near by and said that is sweet. I doubt that the wee one recognised the theme from "The Golden Girls" or that the very last real-life representative of that long-lasting friendship, Betty White Ludden, had slipped away a day short of the new year in her 99th year. When I heard the news of Betty White's passing, visions of her and her late husband Alan Ludden came to mind. And I thought, what a loving and lovely couple; to my mind, a true manifestation of the topic of the 8th day of my Christmas.

On this the 8th Day of my Christmas, A Hope that in your lifetime fate will bring to you (at least) 8 Mates of your Liking. . .

When I wrote of the 8th day of Christmas in 2010, I started that day with a photo of a sweet little one and commented, "A fabulous little gift that fate has brought me." I continued, "Miko was literally left on the doorstep last summer. And cute though this little toy dog may be, his masterful (over)protectiveness definitely does take some getting used to -- oh boy does it ever! he he he . But after all the barking and snarling is over and done, most people just can't help but look at him and think, 'Miko Man, I really do like you.' And this I do; I truly do feel blessed to have as a companion this mate of my liking."

"So last night, Miko man decided that he had amorous designs on a linebacker-sized 16 year old nephew of mine, and it was so cute to watch how gently this near- 6-foot-tackle-sized- teenager would rebuff Miko's lustful advances. Not something you see everyday he he. Made me smile again and say, 'Dear sweet huggable nephew mine, I do like you.'

This song has been a near constant theme for me since Miko's time with me ended in 2019. My thoughts back in 2010, "You know, pets and family, are two sets of creatures that we are expected to love, and perhaps we find ourselves loving them just because. But it's also super cool and a great bonus -- and this is my experience-- when you can sit back and also say of our animal friends and kinfolk, that really and truly from the heart... 'I do like you.'" I count myself among the lucky who have in fact been blessed with relationships with other animals (four-legged, webbed feet and winged) and folks (near and far) that I really do like and enjoy. Thank you for being a friend.

A Spotlight on Friendship

Make a selection below ↷

Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other is gold.

My mother's special gift to me:

Truth be told, Sweet Mama wasn't all that confident about her ability to make friends. Yet, it seems that my circle of friendships has always been all the more far-reaching because of the friendships that my mother had forged; that make friends of friend's friend thing. In fact, it is the long-lasting bonds that were formed with others, mothers in particular, that has made me a part of a rather large extended family. And as all the other mothers had embarked on their last journey in years past, all the "siblings" of this rather prolific extended family knew they could turn to Sweet Mama for that bit of nurturing that only a mother seems able to give. Just observing the longevity and strength of Sweet Mama's friendships was encouragement enough. I cherish the bonds that can be built with others as I continually grow in my understanding of this special phenomenon called friendship.

Sweet Mama always used to say, "Show me your friends and I will see you." These are the words of a mother guiding a child in the direction of upstanding and nurturing companions: sage words, if you ask me. Reminds me of something said by Barbara Walters in an interview. She reported that her mother told her never to marry for money -- she should marry for love -- but dear mother encouraged her to move in a circle of socio-economically blessed individuals (a.k.a making sure that all your companions are rich).

Whatever my own personal exploration of life, I always knew that I had a mother beside me who was more like a best friend. In the days when life was more free, we easily spoke up to 4 or 5 times a day by phone, and even as the years brought their own peculiar constrictions, we could rely on our ability to tell each other any and everything without embarrassment. Throughout the years as Sweet Mama sent me beautiful sentiments in card, I wrote poetry to show my appreciation for the bonds that had been built. Our friendship nourished and fortified me, and I never missed an opportunity to say, "You are the wind beneath my wings."