When Wishes Come True

Many decades ago, before children and even before Buddie, my college roommate and her boyfriend and I were out for dinner. We were talking about playing cards later that night and I said, “I’ll be so glad when I have someone to be my partner for cards someday.”

The three people I played cards with most frequently in college:

That story stayed with both of us because when Sherri gave her “Best Woman” speech at our wedding years afterward, she mentioned that memory. She also mentioned that when Buds and I played cards with them the first time, he proved himself to be a card shark, but that’s a different story.

Tonight, another one of those “wishes from the past” came to fruition.

On many of our trips over the years, the ones when the children were little, I’d see other families with their teenagers walking, talking, and laughing together.

“I hope we have that someday,” I’d think.

I’ve seen glimpses of this over the years, but tonight it really struck me.

Buds and I were headed out on a nighttime walk with Mocha, and we asked each of the children if they wanted to come along. They all said yes.

As we meandered along in the crisp darkness, I looked back at the three of them moseying together, laughing at something one of them said, and such gratitude bubbled up in my heart.

“Look at our crew, Buddie!” I squeezed his hand.

“I know,” he said. “It’s pretty great.”