Book club meetings

I moved to orange county NY from Dutchess County Ny 5 years ago. When I moved into my "norman rockwell meets desperate housewives" (coined phrase by a neighbor) I decided to start a book club. I was married with no only my stepson who was 12. We chose books from best seller lists and THe new york times lists, we had crosswords, quizes and discussed the book and then we talked about being women, moms, sister, husbands mothers, neighbors. When my son was born, I got very sick I have lupus and I was feeling terrific the entire pregnancy but boy the fatigue afterwards so I stopped going to book club. I did miss it a bit, I tried to keep my eyes open at the end of a day of working, cooking, and breast feeding for a good read, but it didn't happen. A year or two later I was ready to go back and was glad they had continued it with out me. We have a few knoshes and talk about the book.
Every summer we read a biography and every December we have a cookie swap and talk about the last book. This time I had no time to read the book and I debated going if I had not read the book, but I have learned I can learn a lot about life by going to this group meeting because I am one of the youngest members, I am in my 40's my other neighbor is in her 30's the rest of the young at heart ladies are 50-68.
So last night, I went it was so cold, I wanted to stay home but I had made my 2 dozen cookies and I was determined.
As I mostly listened to them talk about Life after the book discussion was over I realized every one of us was dealing with something.
One women who lives alone was dealing with her mother and dementia.
One women who lives with her husband and her mother, is dealing with her husband losing his memory after he had battled cancer and a fall from a 15 foot ladder a few years back.
A few women were chatting about there hormonal teenagers
Another women told us things she has seen in the ER that would break your heart.
Another lost her mother this year.
All of them had stories and all of them were laughing.
I try hard to be a positive person, I enjoy my job, have nice friends and I know my son's neurofibromatosis is not as bad as some, and he is not on chemo, but marriage life is difficult and bringing up a son with learning disabilities and special needs takes a toll.
I was grateful for the meeting and it reminds me I started it for a reason, and as much as my husband gripes at me for going and what do we do there for 3 hours, I say it's only once a month.
The next book we are reading is The sweet potato queens, if you want to join us or if you want to read at home and post questions about the book to my blog.
I kept quiet. I listened. reflected and laughed when appropriate.