The Four Of Us

"Friendship is unnecessary like philosophy, like art … It has no survival value; rather, it is one of those things that give value to survival." - CS Lewis

I suspect the friendship my wife and I have with one couple is not unique. But, what we share - in all combinations - is unprecedented in my life. Have you and your partner had friendships like this with another couple?

The four of us have had many wonderful joint experiences - dining together, watching films, playing board games - nothing remotely rare. The original bond between the husband and me - music - has deepened as the years have gone by. Again, big deal.

When my wife and the other wife began doing stuff without the men around, no one felt obligated to alert the media. It did get a little more interesting when the husband alone began hanging out with my wife and me or I went to their home by myself or when the other two possible combinations of three ended up enjoying an experience without the fourth person there.

After the husband and my wife recently took a cooking class together, I recalled a One Day University event I attended with the wife and another time when just the two of us went to hear some musician friends of hers. In that moment of recollection, it occurred to me what a great gift it is to have friends like this. Two of us, three of us, four of us - it's all almost equally wonderful.