Some Friendly Ears

This weekend, I did a lot of chatting: a long phone conversation Saturday, a relaxing ramble over Sunday brunch, or a squealing session as I shopped for wedding dresses with a friend (and found a real winner, I am pretty sure. more later). At times, the chats turned to the wedding planning--how it was going and how I felt about the whole process. As I sat down last night to watch the Olympic gymnasts on TV and to read the Sunday paper, I was thinking about friendships. How it is so nice to go on and go with friends about my thoughts on wedding planning--I could pick their brains when I wanted to, but there was never an element of judgment in their voices. And they seemed excited to hear me talk about it. I am careful not to tell everyone and their mother's cousin about our wedding--because these details may not enchant those who aren't directly involved--but when a friend is interested, it can be fun, helpful, and a bit stress relieving to discuss all my plans and confide some of my fears like tripping down the aisle. From my friends, I get the sense that it's not necessarily the all the wedding details that hold their interest, it's how I relate to these details. And that's what keeps me talking.