{"id":1680,"date":"2012-10-19T20:13:42","date_gmt":"2012-10-19T19:13:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/gollygoshcafe.com\/?p=1680"},"modified":"2012-10-20T13:41:25","modified_gmt":"2012-10-20T12:41:25","slug":"conversation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/gollygoshcafe.com\/?p=1680","title":{"rendered":"conversations"},"content":{"rendered":"

I have introduced myself. You have introduced yourself. This is a very good conversation. ~ Katsumoto, The Last Samurai<\/em><\/p>\n

They were two silver-haired ladies, still stylish and still a little mischievous.<\/p>\n

Kate and Lizzie could no longer be described as young but that didn\u2019t matter, at least not to them.\u00a0 It neither hindered nor worried them for they were also formidable and wise, vivacious and free.\u00a0 Forces of nature some\u00a0might say.<\/p>\n

A lifetime ago they embarked on life\u2019s rollercoaster knowing only too well that the presence of vulnerability and fragility would accompany them forever.\u00a0 They would come to know feelings of exhilaration and excitement and the adrenalin rush that makes the heart beat faster and faster; fight or flight.\u00a0 The fear and the tummy flips, the nausea, the holding on so tightly that knuckle bones are displayed and close to bursting through the skin.\u00a0 The need to trust and rely on something other than self and the tears and relief knowing that, for another day, survival was to be permitted.<\/p>\n

Life’s experiences: unique, precious and detailed.\u00a0 Stories: not to be challenged or touched.\u00a0 And never dismissed.<\/p>\n

Today was a milestone.\u00a0 Lizzie had some news and wanted to share it.<\/p>\n

Kate\u2019s squeals erupted.\u00a0 Tears of happiness streamed down her face and she squeezed her friend so tight Lizzie thought she might pop.<\/p>\n

Lizzie\u2019s going to be published!\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n

It would seem that life had been breathed into Lizzie\u2019s girlhood dream of being an author and it was closer to taking flight than she could ever have imagined.\u00a0 She couldn\u2019t contain her excitement and why should she.\u00a0 But all she could think of saying was:<\/p>\n

Definitely something to tick off that bucket list!<\/em><\/p>\n

Kate and Lizzie had been friends after a comical first encounter had brought them together almost fifty years ago now.\u00a0 A long time to be a friend.\u00a0 They reminisced but this wasn\u2019t a day for reality checks and things forgotten or lost.\u00a0 Today was memorable and magical.\u00a0 Today a dream was born and everyone celebrated.<\/p>\n

Lizzie sat for a while after Kate left.<\/p>\n

She understood her friend\u2019s need to be doing things.\u00a0 Kate always had a schedule, a list of sorts and meetings to attend for one of the many groups she volunteered with.\u00a0 There was always something to do for The Rural or The Festival Group or the Church office where she helped out.\u00a0 But today was her aqua aerobics day and Lizzie couldn\u2019t help but smile.\u00a0 She pictured Kate, leading the way,\u00a0at the forefront of other women of a certain age.\u00a0 All shapes and sizes, in swimsuits with some wearing hats to keep their hair in place for another day, bobbing up and down in the pool, stretching, running, pushing against the water, in time to music of a different era.\u00a0 All desperately trying to follow the instructions of a much younger version of themselves with the additional extras of makeup, lycra and a body that was fit for public viewing.\u00a0 More comical Kate moments.<\/p>\n

Lizzie had a gentler approach to life.\u00a0 She preferred to linger in the moment allowing her senses free rein to attune to the surroundings and to the thoughts in her head.\u00a0 Sifting and sorting, organising and refreshing.\u00a0 Unrushed.\u00a0 Missing nothing.\u00a0 Always time.<\/p>\n

More tea Lizzie?<\/em><\/p>\n

Yes please Alice.\u00a0 The meringues were delicious!\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n

I wasn\u2019t too sure at first.\u00a0 I think I\u2019m more of a sponge kinda person.\u00a0 I was going to ask you about meringues … your secret weapon!<\/em><\/p>\n

They both laughed.<\/p>\n

No secret Alice, just practice.\u00a0 <\/em>She winked.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s the book about Lizzie?<\/em><\/p>\n

Thin places.<\/em><\/p>\n

Alice felt a sudden tugging at her heart and looked up.<\/p>\n

I think I\u2019ll need a spare cup.\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n

She looked around.\u00a0 There was little noise.\u00a0 And like slow motion\u00a0Alice\u00a0located a cup and saucer from the shelf, pulled back\u00a0a chair and sat, taking\u00a0her place beside Lizzie.\u00a0 She poured them both a fresh cup of Earl Grey tea and with elbows on the table she rested her chin on her hands.<\/p>\n

She knew this would be a good conversation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I have introduced myself. You have introduced yourself. This is a very good conversation. ~ Katsumoto, The Last Samurai They were two silver-haired ladies, still stylish and still a little mischievous. Kate and Lizzie could no longer be described as young but that didn\u2019t matter, at least not to them.\u00a0 It neither hindered nor worried […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[9,31,6,21],"tags":[136,140,141,159,137,27,139,143,28,138,142],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2zQgS-r6","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/gollygoshcafe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1680"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/gollygoshcafe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/gollygoshcafe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/gollygoshcafe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/gollygoshcafe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1680"}],"version-history":[{"count":65,"href":"http:\/\/gollygoshcafe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1680\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1741,"href":"http:\/\/gollygoshcafe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1680\/revisions\/1741"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/gollygoshcafe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1680"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/gollygoshcafe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1680"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/gollygoshcafe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1680"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}