Aftermath

Five women. Three hours. Laughing until the tears are flowing. It may have begun as a card party, but ended up as a much needed catharsis. Somewhere in there, we did play cards, but we realized keeping score would be fruitless.

Munchies are an integral part of any get together. There is just something about sharing food - no matter what it is - that helps break down barriers. It's hard to stand on ceremony when you are brushing cracker crumbs out of your cleavage.

Free-wheeling conversations on subjects dear to our hearts or philosophic, overlapping voices with the silver thread of laughter running through it all. Feeling blood pressure ease, the cares of the week sliding away for just a while. A little bit of respite, a brief sanctuary; that's all we really need.