Finding new friends, keeping old ones.

I’ve met some amazing people in my life. Some friends I’ve had for several decades, such treasures they are. And every once in awhile, someone new touches my world who makes a difference with just a small gesture. Have you had this happen?

As some of you know, I’ve been staying at a hotel in Los Angeles, receiving care from Cedars Sinai hospital. It’s an enormous city, large enough for an individual to hover in “unknown land” forever. I could have been invisible. It’s been eleven days, and I’m finally able to head home with the hope of improved health (it takes a bit of time to really know if a procedure worked).

I haven’t ventured out of here except for the hospital.

I ordered food from a local grocery store, and I’ve eaten here at the hotel (LeParc Suites) quite a few days. It’s a comfy spot, staff has been here for a long time. Iram for 44 years, Juliette for 37, Otto for 19, and then there’s the chefs, Javier, and others whose name I didn’t learn. There’s Barry and Roman who work the lobby, and many others whose smiles fill up their entire face. It’s a family of sorts, and they look out for each other as well as the guests here. There is a wine cocktail hour every evening at five, so I’d wander up there some evenings to have a bit of social connection. Conversation was easy, and spotty given some language challenges, but we did okay. I learned that Iram had open heart surgery 2 years ago tomorrow, and he and I shared mutual tales of stem to stern scars, (quite bonding in a “I’m glad I lived thru that” kind of way). I learned about another’s kiddos and where they are now, we shook our heads over the sad state of affairs in the world, and spoke of choosing kindness with each other.

It’s the kind of place where when I called to ask where the ice machine was, they said, what room are you in, I’ll bring it to you! It arrived pronto, was delivered with a smile and a genuine no trouble at all kind of nod. I even saw a couple of the same Uber drivers when I went back and forth to the hospital (more days than not) and? Bonus, they remembered me! And I them! That hasn’t even happened to me at home.

What could have been 11 days of isolation in the huge city called La La Land turned out to be a place of kind people who checked on how I was doing, and Iram even gave me a hug as I left the restaurant tonight. It was one of those fatherly types of “gimme a hug” spontaneous genuine affection, glad to know you, I hope you come back, be healthy and thank yous going back and forth. It touched my heart and gave me one of those nice lumps in my throat. Far better than having been alone as so many are.

I actually felt more cared about and cherished here than many other places and times in my life.

I will most likely return there for surgery soon, and these new friends will greet me. They will move into the “I’ve known you awhile” category, and we’ll speak of deeper things. We won’t text, nor talk by phone, but all the connections and memories remain. Time will bring more closeness.

With so many people hating on each other, and so much judgement and fear about differences, I am reassured that goodness such as this is still experienced within small enclaves within big cities.

My long time friends know who they are. They’ve checked in on me every day, extended their caring across the miles, and I’ve felt so loved. I thank each and every one of you for this. Less needs to be said out loud with these friends. we just connect. Sometimes, the inverse of how close we truly are means less need for many words. The closer the friend = less words needed. My closest friends need very little to understand me, newer friends need the stories. And the stories I choose to share are meaningful.

Choosing.

Choosing to connect is the key for me, to ask questions, to care, to learn and remember.

I’m glad to be choosing the connections I’m making here in Stacklandia.💞