A Couple's Retreat

Everyone needs a get-away, even couples.  There are so many books out there for individuals in building friendships.  We sometimes forget that couples need couple friends, as well.  The dynamics of building a relationship with a friend is sometimes very challenging.  Think if you add two more people to the equation, you have four different personalities of people being with each other for an evening and/or traveling together.  As we all know, it is hard to get two people to agree on something.  So what about four people or more trying to agree?

This past weekend, five couples enjoyed three days of being together, eating, laughing and having fun.

Needless to say this is a unique group of friends.  About five years ago, I wrote a story about the guys and how their friendship began in high school in 1973.  Fourteen years ago, my husband decided that the guys should get back together and take a five day rafting trip down the Snake River.  Of course, they were all on board.  Since that time, they guys do a rafting trip every two years.  When these guys are together, they reminisced about their high school years as well as talk about all they have done since graduating from high school, almost 50 years ago.

Throughout the past years, the couples have started meeting for dinner, football games and so much more. The wives have gotten to know each other throughout the years.  Two of the couples began dating in high school.  There are three wives(including myself) that weren't apart of the group since high school.  It is always fun hearing about the adventures they had in high school, as well as hearing about other friends.

As I sit here and type, I realize that in the past fifteen years, we have all made some big changes in our lives.  We have all moved into new homes and new areas away from Spring, Texas, where the friendships began in 1973.

The weekend was flawless.  One could see how God orchestrated everything.  From all of us being available to the weather being perfect.  Last fall, we had attended one of the couple's son's wedding in Blanco, Texas.  We all had so much fun together that we decided we needed to plan another weekend.  Another couple lives in East Texas and they said "we have the perfect place".  A friend down the road from them had a home on 660 acres that would accommodate us.  Bedrooms and bathrooms for each couple.  I don't think the rest of the group could comprehend the home that our friends were recommending.

Let me tell you from the time that we entered through the gate on the gravel road through the piney forest, all anxiety and worries left us.  As we turned the corner, the view of seeing miles and miles of  a rolling forest "took our breath away".   Everyone who entered the house, could say nothing but "Wow".  We all knew that this would be a weekend that we would never forget. 

Just imagine, sitting around laughing, talking, eating and resting for 48+ hours with no cares in the world.  Bill and Amy treated the other four couples like royalty.  From preparing all the food to entertaining us with shooting skeet, riding four wheelers and just relaxing around a bonfire at night. It was definitely a weekend of relaxation, restoring souls and bonding relationships.  

Yes, we are all different, but we also respect each other and the choices that we have all made throughout the years.  There have been various trials and tribulations in our lives, but without a shadow of a doubt, each of us know that we are there for one another.  You can't put a price on friendship.  Proverbs 18:24 states "Some friendships do not last, but some friends are more loyal than brothers."

It is worth getting away from ones routines and taking time to build long lasting friendships. We all agreed that we needed to do it again.  "2022" is already booked!

The Five Couples

The home in the Piney Woods.