To be affectionately detached - that is a power. That is a wisdom. That is a love greater than any emotional love, a love born of understanding.

~Gurudeva

Making new friends in the later years of my life seems to take a different kind of energy than making friends took in my younger years.

On the one hand, I seem to have gotten a little smarter than I was back in the day when I imagined that friendship meant "helping" others see and do things they said they wanted - but weren't doing on their own.

On the other hand, I seem to be growing somewhat more compassionate than I was back when I couldn't see past my own story about reality. Back when I really believed that if people would just do what I advised them, they'd get along better. And that it was my job, as their "friend," to give good others advice.

I notice I'm taking a lot of long, deep, relaxing breaths this morning, thinking about a lovely dinner I had with Eve last night. And looking forward to getting to know her better. Getting to see myself through her eyes and sharing, dispassionately, how I see her through mine.

Sometimes I notice I'm telling myself I wish I could recover my youth.

Some days, like today, I hear myself chuckling as I feel deeply just how lucky I am to have lived long enough to begin entering the reality of Love.