They still stage opera

 

We arrived in Athens early Sunday morning and were greeted by Kevin at the airport for the ride home.

The basic reason for our visit here was not to do more touring but, rather, to visit with our old friends. Kevin and Valerie had lived in DC in the early 1990s, while we were all getting started in our careers and married lives. We sort of grew up together as couples. We knew each other before we had kids and we had big dreams and ambitions.

Somehow, the big dreams and ambitions worked out. By the mid-90s Kevin and Valerie had moved to Germany to purse their dream of a life in Europe. Morgane came into the world just a bit after that. Killian, a few years later. Meanwhile, Jen and I remained in DC pursuing our dream of repairing the world. For Jen, this means repairing it person-by-person. For me, it means repairing government. Sam came into the world about a year after Morgane. Ella followed about a year or so after Killian. And so, we all had these babies that needed attention.

The Copps and Shermans stayed in contact over the years but didnt' see much of each other. But the bond had been established and the fates were sealed.

In 2009, the Copps moved to Athens. So, sensing an opportunity because we were already going to be in Israel -- not terribly far from Greece -- we created the Athens excursion.

The priority, therefore, has been on reconnecting with our friends and we've accomplished that goal in a big way. We've done a fair amount of just hanging out over the past couple of days, eating, drinking, laughing, remembering. Letting the kids get to know each other better. On Sunday, we chilled at the Copp villa in Kifissia, partaking of the pool and Valerie's exquisite eggplant parmesan and stuffed tomatoes.

Today is, for all intents and purposes, the final day of our Israel/Greece excursion.
Tomorrow is a travel day.
We'll arrive home tanned, rested, and (I think) smarter and wiser.
With a bit more perspective.
We've enjoyed each other's company.
We'll also be ready for a little less togetherness.
In a couple of weeks, the kids will be back in school.
The Jewish High Holidays will soon be upon us.
And, before we know it, October 2 will have arrived.
Sam's bar mitzvah day.
The bar mitzvah was the original impetus for this vacation
But it has turned into something much more than that.
I'm not able to put it into words.
Except to say that I love my family truly, madly, and deeply.
We have wonderful, generous old friends.
And some wonderful, generous new ones.
Oh, what lucky little people we are!