Today I turn another day older. Today I perform the obligatory "Taking Stock" of my life, looking at my accomplishments, my mistakes, my happiness level and my trajectory. The inevitable comparison of the prior year's same metrics makes my mind stumble through all the senses I deployed over the last year. Tripping up and tripping over all the obstacles in my path I figured there could not possibly be anything else life could throw at me.
Today I learned another lesson and I'm grateful for it. I learned it from someone close to me but far enough away to call me on my shit. Who, with a bit of prodding, gave me the whole truth.
Thank you friend. It's been a long time since I was asked to be an adult by an adult. I know I'm up for the challenge.
Sometimes I want something to happen so badly that I put a lot of energy into making it happen...but when I do that, it usually means there is no way in hell it is going to happen.
This isn't a post about the socio-economic ramifications of Facebook - but it seems I've attended more reunions in the last 12 months than The Who and considering the reviews of their last reunion tour, I'm not sure what to think.
Facebook has allowed many of us to get in touch with people who knew us when we were children, presumably before the world had it's way with us and spit us out a fully formed adult. What's been so amazing to me is how many of us reunited friends "of a certain age" can seem to pick up where we left off and just have that synergy and closeness again.
After losing my mother last year and reuniting with so many good, old friends and even making better friends with them now - it's really been something I'm thankful for. I think the part of this that is so great to me is that they know the young me - and see that part of me as though it has never wavered or faded at all - and the more mature me with all my idiosyncasies and foibles they get. I think they get that part of me because they got to know me when I was young.
There are times when I think about being without my family, not having any "roots", no one really "knowing" who I am...it frightens me. I think that's why having this family of old friends is so important to me. We've got history.
Even if it is waking up in a van next to a tennis shoe full of puke...history nonetheless.
