Changes….

Last night we had a dinner club meeting.  And while I won’t be officially posting the information until February 28th (I’ll be all caught up with the history by then) I have to mention that last night was V’s last night with the group. 

I am so sad. This is our first "loss" and V is going to really be missed.  Unfortunately, she needs to devote herself to her studies for her continuing education and certifications and is pretty much wiping out all social obligations in her life. We understand but it doesn’t mean that we have to like it!

I had hoped (unrealistically, I know) that our group could remain intact for years.  I imagined that years from now we’d all talk about the early days and remember our evolution and our journey through the ups and downs of friendships. 

As I mentioned in the early entry about forming the club and choosing members, when we started we were a loosely associated group of friends/acquaintances.  But over the last two years we’ve shared in the celebrations and tribulations of each other’s lives and become fast friends.  V will always be part of us but it’s hard to imagine a meeting without her. 

And that also brings us to another challenge.  I’ve discussed our difficulty in finding people who were the right fit for the group.  While we have some ideas about who we might bring in, we have a new issue.  Now a new person will need to join an established group – something that’s not always easy.  Although we will all welcome whoever it ends up being, just the fact that we have this history will be something that will just sort of be there until the new person has been around for a few meetings and has built a new shared history with us.  I hope it will all go smoothly but I worry that it will be hard for someone to fit into the rhythm we’ve established.  I’m sure I’m making something out of nothing but I think it’s good that the group is aware so that we ensure we make our club a welcome refuge for the new person, as it’s been for us.