In the Company of Good Friends

The longer I stumble around on this small, backward planet, the more amazed I am at how fulfilling simple things are. Good music, walks, and sunshine are constantly reinforcing themselves as some of the greatest things in life. Whenever I can, I put on my headphones and head out for a long walk. It continuously amazes me how easily a long walk can improve my attitude and brighten my day.

The same goes for spending time with real friends. There is nothing like enjoying drinks and a good meal with a true friend, even more so when you don’t get to see your friends that often. I say all of this because I was able to hang out with some good friends over the past week and a half.
The first was a friend from way back in my middle and high school days. I hadn’t seen her in a few years. So when I was invited to a surprise 40th birthday party for her, I had to go. Some of my old anti-social tendencies reared their ugly little heads, but I successfully ignored them. And as much as I hate hanging out with folks from high school, it was great to see her and some of the other people who were there.

The second bit of hanging out that I did was going to the local pro basketball game. I took my daughter, her mother, and a good friend with me. The idea was to take my daughter to her first game, and afterward, send her and her mother home and hang out with my friend.

Fortunately, everything went according to plan. My daughter had fun even though she didn’t get any of the souvenirs that were being launched into the crowd. I went to a restaurant with my friend and had beer and seafood and had a great time just letting off steam.

Finally, a good friend was in town a couple of weeks ago. He was doing his usual high flying, but he was able to land for long enough to spend some time shooting the shit with me. We ended up having drinks and a great meal at one of the best restaurants in town. Afterward we clowned some old friends and laughed for a long time.

Today I don’t have anything clever or profound to write. All I have is the observation that spending time with people I care about is one of the most valuable and wonderful things that I get to experience in this life.