The Porch

I have spent hundreds of hours over the last 7 years of my life on the porch with friends that I love as much as family. Our children have grown up, with their mothers on the porch, playing with friends they were born with, that they love like siblings. I have laughed, and cried, been counseled, and given advice, eaten, learned, and mostly I have loved my time spent on the porch. I didn't notice until recently that every time I walk by certain windows in my house, my head pops over to see if the ladies are out, if it's time to gather on the porch until the boys come home and want dinner. The lights were always on there, it was the most comfortable, welcome, happy place that I have ever known. The porch sits empty now. I have cried my eyes out, but they didn't bring back the comfy white wicker furniture that was supposed to sit on the porch forever. I still have my friends that I love like sisters, but we no longer have a porch to sit on, and it's different. I'm so sad.