Friendship Vs. Solitude

I shared "MY" park with Kelly this past Saturday. I agreed to meet her at one pm at the Western Reserve where I introduced her to Parma's best kept secret park which lies hidden within the cities boundaries. She brought her pup, Lilly and we set out on my usual route. It was pretty cool how she ooh'd and ahh'd at the appropriate time, just as we entered that glorious wooded area of peace and seclusion. But what really struck me was the kindred spirit in which she treasured walking with a friend, while still seeking absolute serenity in silence. We admitted that walking together muted the pleasures of listening to the intimate sounds of natures creatures. A squirrel rustling the leaves, the high pitched screech of a bird, the literal babbling of the brook. All missed while walking and talking in tandem. Thank goodness we can all have the best of both worlds, friendship and solitude. Unfortunately we often make the foolish assumption that the two are mutually exclusive. Not so! Yesterday I enjoyed the company of a good friend. Today I will go back to "MY" park and quietly worship the peaceful sounds of it's natural beauty.