Once a month I conduct the Back to Mayberry Bible Study at a senior citizen retirement community. All the participants are 80 years of age or older. Invariably our discussions almost always get around to the topic of friendships. This past week we talked about the importance of long time friends and how difficult it is to develop these long term friendships in a time when people are so mobile.
Our discussion got me thinking about the wonderful friendship that exists between Aunt Bee and Clara Edwards. They have been best friends since their early days at Sweet Briar Normal. They played on the basketball team together, and in those younger years they must have spent many hours talking and giggling over the beaus in their young lives. Then as the years passed, they most likely had to say good bye as many young people do as they go their separate ways. But then when Aunt Bee moves to Mayberry to live with Andy and Opie, her close friendship with Clara is once again renewed. Although Aunt Bee and Clara are very dear friends, they certainly have their differences. They are very competitive with one another when it comes to entering pickles in the county fair or roses in the garden club contests. Yet even when Clara wins the grand prize for the best rose, she relinquishes her prize to Aunt Bee when she learns the story about Aunt Bee's rose being destroyed. Only a true friend could be such a gracious loser as was Clara Edwards in that touching gesture of friendship. Sometimes they even have their differences over the men in their lives. Who can forget the jealousy that Clara felt when Professor St. John became enamored with Aunt Bee? When Aunt Bee decided to wear a wig when the visiting minister came to Mayberry, once again a rivalry began between Aunt Bee and Clara. Despite their many differences and petty squabbles, Clara Edwards and Aunt Bee Taylor remain true friends. They do not let their differences come between them. While Clara gave up the rose contest for her friend, Aunt Bee gave up the roll of Miss Mayberry for her friend. Each was willing to sacrifice something that was very important in order for a friend to come first. Clara persuaded Aunt Bee to run for the town council because she truly believed in her friend. Aunt Bee agonized on her decision as to who to take to Mexico with her because she did not want to hurt Clara's feelings, knowing she was such a good friend. When Andy was having a difficult time with Opie and his band, it was Clara who Aunt Bee turned to for guidance and advice. Together Aunt Bee and Clara wrote the beautiful song "My Home Town." Neither could have done that alone. So much is always said about the friendship between Andy and Barney. But I think it is important to remember that special and very close friendship that exists between Aunt Bee and Clara. They were seen together in many episodes of TAGS and quite often we forget how important Clara was to Aunt Bee. Barney once told Andy that it is the friendships that we develop when we are young that really last. This is certainly true when it comes to the friendship between Aunt Bee and Clara. I think one of the most touching scenes in all of TAGS is when Aunt Bee and Clara are sitting on the porch and they sing their song about Sweet Briar. During this week of giving special thanks, be sure to take a few moments to thank those old friends of yours. Thank them for being your friend. Do it today if you have the chance because tomorrow may be too late. Kenneth G. Anderson 2906 May Street Eau Claire, Wisconsin 54701 715-839-8470 [EMAIL PROTECTED] www.mayberryreflections.com _______________________________________________ WBMUTBB mailing list [email protected] http://mail.wbmutbb.com/mailman/listinfo/wbmutbb_wbmutbb.com http://www.mayberry.com/tagsrwc/wbmutbb/
