Sushi Makes For Good Philosophy . . . At Least On Girl's Night

I had a fabulous night last night with some of my best friends from high school. I can't believe we now have master's degrees (one of us), 12 year-olds (one of us), and homeownership (all of us.) It seems like just yesterday that the greatest worry any of us had was whether so and so would hear our requested song on the radio and if we'd pass our AP tests.






One of the nice things about getting old is you can have fabulous dinners like these. Yes, those are edible flowers on my salad and in my friends' soup and tempura. We had dinner at a tres chic Japanese sushi restaurant. And I know that any of you who know me are saying "you ate raw fish? . . . really?" Have no fear, mine was the salad with steak, fully cooked, thank you very much. We followed up our fun dinner with cake at my best friends' new home. She has worked her knuckles raw, almost literally, cleaning up an old home. It was such a kick to hear her talk about caulk and electrical and water heater efficiency. Again, I don't really remember getting old!


Being with my friends reminded me of driving to my parents' home earlier that day. As we drove along their street we passed a temple where about three or four brides were having their pictures taken. Next door was a church where they were holding a funeral. My friends and I all seem to be, to me, right in the middle of life. But as I drove by the temple and the church I saw what were, again, to me, obvious beginnings and endings. But in reality, each of us is constantly experiencing beginnings and endings. Some are obvious like a wedding or a funeral, but most are very quiet, they happen just as we work through every day. We very often have the power to choose our beginnings and our endings. The ending of something in our life that is holding us back and the beginning of something that helps us progress.


And in the meantime, try the sushi -- it's delicious!