In the company of friends

If you've been keeping up with my ongoing travels, you're probably thinking, "Conway, Arkansas is a vacation spot?" Ordinarily, no. The only way this qualifies as a hot spots i if you're thinking of places in the southeastern U.S. where the temperature soars in the summertime.

Unlike my brief, nonsensical trip to Birmingham to kick off this vacation, coming to Arkansas had a purpose. It gave me the opportunity to visit some friends I don't see (and haven't seen) very often because of the distance. Is that reason sufficient enough?

I stopped in Conway to visit Donna, her husband, and their family. Donna and I went to see a minor league game in Little Rock last night while her husband watched their kids, but other than that, my time with them was not especially tourist-y or even terribly different than how I might have filled those days at home, children's activities excepted.

But you know what? It didn't matter. I got to spend time with people I like, respect, and care about. I've known them primarily through online communication over the years, so being able to talk with them face-to-face and take pleasure in their company was plenty rewarding.

I also enjoyed being around and interacting with their precocious children. These delightful kids got along well with each other and were very welcoming to me, which I know isn't always easy when unfamiliar people come into the home.

Their son and I had fun playing Mario Kart. For the record, his victories over me were legitimate. Their charming daughter was always quick with a smile, a laugh, or a joke. (And mercy, her reading ability for her age is astonishing.) Having a four-year-old crawl into my lap and put her arms around me is not a common situation I encounter, but receiving such unexpected purity of expression provides a nice lift.

Being given someone's time and attention and being welcomed into their home are not small or inconsequential things. I'm grateful for the generosity and hospitality Donna and her family showed me. Where we went and what we did while I was in town may not sound like anyone's concept of a vacation, but I can't imagine a better use of leisure time than spending it with wonderful people.