A couple of kids on the banks of a river, chatting away and relaxing in the sun. A lot of folks have memories of being in a large circle of friends… guys or gals that ‘grew up together’ or ‘hung around’ each other. I was a member of several such groups – smaller ones, larger ones, lightning ones, more enduring ones. As you get on in years you also have the experience of such circles becoming smaller or vanishing altogether. I am lucky to have a friend that I’ve known since I was 10 years old, still in my crowd. I also kept some friendly relations with individuals within several of the groups. And what a moment in time for them – the river only hinting that time does not stand still, evidence so obvious it is easy to ignore. And the little slights and let downs have been minor and infrequent enough not to be counted or tallied. I hope they stay best friends forever… though I’ve learned to walk alone.