Day of Hope #27
Friday March 13, 2015
Goal: Visit my outside friends
Quote: “Friends are angels that lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly.” - Unknown
I don’t get to see some of my outside friends far away as often as I would like. When I travel to Utah, I end up seeing lots of family and don’t have a dedicated time to visit very much outside of that. My sister agreed to meet me in Salt Lake City to take my son to Tooele so I could spend some quality time with an old friend.
I have been friends with her for over 30 years, but life gets in the way, and living in different states is tough. We were friends before either one of us had kids. We used to have so much fun. We did everything together. I haven’t seen her much lately, so I decided to dedicate my day of hope to spend some quality time with her.
My son and I drove from Idaho to Utah and stopped at Shoshone Falls. It is a huge waterfall out by Twin Falls, ID and it is 212 feet tall and 900 feet wide. It’s impressive. It is one of the largest natural waterfalls in the U.S., surpassing the height of the famous Niagara Falls. It is called the Niagara of the West.
Depending on how much snow falls the previous year determines the flow of the water. Typical peaks are between 10,000 and 12,000 CFS (cubic feet per second). Springtime is the best time to see the falls. It is open year-round, except for temporary closures due to road conditions and the off chance of maintenance.
Well, that off chance of maintenance happened on March 13, 2015, the same day we went to see it. It was still fun and there was some water coming out, but not like it normally does. Here we thought we were going to see it at its peak. Fortunately, I have gotten to see it since, at other times, when the falls were in their full glory.
My friend and I met in Salt Lake as planned and went to Chili’s for drinks and apps. It’s an American casual dining chain. They have a variety of foods, but I especially like their chips and salsa, as their chips are really thin and yummy. We sat and talked for hours. It is so amazing how you can go without seeing someone for years and just pick up right where you left off. Then, we went to a comedy club and laughed and laughed. We were having so much fun hanging out that we went back to Chili’s for more apps, drinks and talking. It was a wonderful evening.
Sometimes, on my day of hope, which I don’t believe I have mentioned before, I always, “Pave it forward”. This day since we were going to a restaurant, I put $13.00 in the Chili’s restroom, in the changing table, so some unsuspecting mom would find it. For me, it was always so frustrating to take babies and toddlers into the bathroom to change them. I put a note on it and stated, today is a lucky 13 day. Enjoy this little surprise. I always have $13.00 one-dollar bills on me. I guess when this goes live, if you have ever received $13.00 as a random surprise, it was most likely from me. You’re welcome.
My lesson of hope: Family and good friendships are key to a successful fulfilled life. Also, paving it forward is such a great opportunity to give a little back.
