Still part of the club

Most of my friends are nurses. We used to work together at one time or another, and we hang out together regularly. Some of us no longer work in nursing, due to retirement or disability. We are still part of the group, however, because of our long history of shared experiences. Sometimes, when I think about what I used to do, how hard I used to work, the skills I used to have, I feel a little sad that those days are over. It seems a shame that all that knowledge and experience is drifting away while I read under the maple tree. I listen to my friends chatter about this patient, that doctor, a new procedure, new treatments, and envy them for their involvement in real world work. My experiences are dusty and rusty, stories I have told before. Even my forays into medical missions work are dusty, 3 years old really, and volunteer teams go out every month. But, because my friends and I gather and talk about the other parts of our lives, our hopes and dreams, our families and pets, we are all still part of the club, our community built on friendship not work. We have transitioned past shared days into deeply felt shared lives. We value and trust each other, our individuality and insights are our membership dues, paid with joy, reaping endless benefits.