Monday, October 13, 2008

Sometimes

Sometimes... I look around at the world we live in and it looks more like the first 30 minutes of some "end of the world, doom and gloom, aliens take over or a giant tidal wave wipes out the East Coast" summer blockbuster movie. Watching the news every night is starting to be more like watching one of those family life videos from the 9th grade. You know the one, where they warn you about all the bad stuff that could happen to you if you have unprotected, pre-marital sex. Well the evening news warns you about what might happen if you leave your house.

Sometimes... I wonder what kind of place my unborn kids will inherit. What kinds of things will I worry about when they're sixteen? I barely go out alone these days and I'm 32 years old, how will I ever feel comfortable enough to let my children out of the house alone whether they're twelve or twenty two. Will they grow up in some Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome type stuff where life in 2008 and earlier will seem completely foreign to them? Why not, some parts of it seem completely foreign to me right now.

Sometimes... I get angry when I see how far we are from really making any progress. I watch television these days and I see a black man running for President of the United States and that's great, that's an accomplishment in itself but what I can't tolerate are the legions of anti Obama-ists who get in front of the camera and come up with every cockeyed excuse they can think of to explain why they won't be voting for the man. Now don't get me wrong, I'm sure there are many people who aren't a fan based solely on political reasons but there are also MANY MANY people who are turned off by him for one reason and one reason only...but will only admit that reason while at home behind closed doors.

Sometimes...I like to just be by myself and think about life, the good parts and the bad parts and try to put it all together like a puzzle trying to reach some conclusion about it all that'll shine some light on the path I'm supposed to be taking. The crazy thing is that every time I do this, that light shines down a different path and I end up right back where I started.


Sometimes.

Sunday, October 5, 2008

Coming Home

It's been 10 years since I graduated from college and this weekend we had a homecoming at my Alma mater. Usually I skip these kinds of occasions and events but this year one of my closest friends, more like a brother, came to Atlanta from Seattle, pretty much ensuring my participation in much of the agenda.

What I learned during the festivities is that there's a lot more to "Homecoming" and "Reunions" than just seeing how fat people got or who went on to do great things and who didn't.

Reconnecting, even if just for a short amount of time with people you were closest to in the past helps to put things in perspective. They bring back memories and awaken parts of you that have been asleep for years, parts of you that you had forgotten about or just didn't recognize anymore.

You exchange stories and memories and in the process you remember things that were important to you and forgotten dreams that you tucked away as you got older because of other pressing priorities.

Life is short and time flies and nothing reminds you of that better than being 32 years old and reminiscing with friends about the day you all met at age 18. When the memory is so clear and vivid in your mind, it's hard to believe that it was an entire decade ago. Where did that time go?

The bad part is that you can't physically go back, you can never do it over again no matter how much you wish you could. But that's why these occasions are so important, to remind you of why you trust the people you trust, love the ones you love and miss the friends that you miss. And when everyone goes back to their respective corners of the world, the short time you spent together laughing and cheering makes them feel a little closer no matter how far away they are.

Homecoming '09? I'll be there.