*Edited For UGA*
I rule.
Take a moment and let that soak in...
Done? OK.
--------------------
So the other day on the way home to Chattanooga, I was cruising along at the speed limit (What?! You don't believe me?) and listening to music. My mind wandered from topic to topic, as the miles sailed by. Eventually, I just had this epiphany:
I am so lucky because I have the greatest group of friends and family that anyone could ever hope for. I'm sure that there are many people (not everyone, necessarily) who think this way, but I'm actually telling the truth! I could go on for days about all the reasons that I'm so thoroughly convinced of this, but I won't bore you with the details that are only really important to me.
This hits on a larger topic, though. In this life that we lead, it is not things that matter, but the people that we "collect" along the way and hold onto. Tell me how many times you've thought back on a fond memory and smiled, but the memory was only of a thing instead of involving other people and experiences. I cannot say that I've ever really held dearly to the memory of many items in my life...
Perhaps my previous car, but I won't go into that right now -- that's an entire separate journal entry. But that's about it. Ironically enough, though, and as fond of a memory I have of that car, it almost assisted in getting me killed one night 18 months ago. But... that's neither here, nor there.
Having a network of friends, in addition to a supportive, loving family, is one of life's greatest blessings. Truly. I have been through my fair share of honest-to-God tragedy over the past three years, in addition to the typical heartaches and pitfalls of human life. And in those times... those times of greatest need, I can honestly say that my support network really proved their value. People stepped up to the plate and hit it out of the park for me, in many different ways. If it was just a sympathetic ear to lend, or more concrete help offered, they have always been there when I needed them... or stayed in the background when that was the more appropriate action.
Even in my moments of deepest self-pity, when I might've been inclined to feel the most alone, I never did get the feeling I really WAS alone. This is something that I think a lot of people take for granted many times -- that they do have that network there. There aren't too many people that I've ever come in contact with that I could say were truly all alone (devoid of friends/family). By "too many", I mean "any". I can conceive that there are some, but I've just never met them.
So if you are among those people I count as friends, thank you. Thank you from the very bottom of my heart. It may not have ever been a big deal to you when you offered your support, but it was to me, no matter what capacity that support came in.
----------------------------
Friday night. I'm drunk. I get a call from none other than buzz_bee. He says we should get together sometime next week and have a drink for my birthday.
See what I mean, people!? Greatest friends EVAR!
Take a moment and let that soak in...
Done? OK.
--------------------
So the other day on the way home to Chattanooga, I was cruising along at the speed limit (What?! You don't believe me?) and listening to music. My mind wandered from topic to topic, as the miles sailed by. Eventually, I just had this epiphany:
I am so lucky because I have the greatest group of friends and family that anyone could ever hope for. I'm sure that there are many people (not everyone, necessarily) who think this way, but I'm actually telling the truth! I could go on for days about all the reasons that I'm so thoroughly convinced of this, but I won't bore you with the details that are only really important to me.
This hits on a larger topic, though. In this life that we lead, it is not things that matter, but the people that we "collect" along the way and hold onto. Tell me how many times you've thought back on a fond memory and smiled, but the memory was only of a thing instead of involving other people and experiences. I cannot say that I've ever really held dearly to the memory of many items in my life...
Perhaps my previous car, but I won't go into that right now -- that's an entire separate journal entry. But that's about it. Ironically enough, though, and as fond of a memory I have of that car, it almost assisted in getting me killed one night 18 months ago. But... that's neither here, nor there.
Having a network of friends, in addition to a supportive, loving family, is one of life's greatest blessings. Truly. I have been through my fair share of honest-to-God tragedy over the past three years, in addition to the typical heartaches and pitfalls of human life. And in those times... those times of greatest need, I can honestly say that my support network really proved their value. People stepped up to the plate and hit it out of the park for me, in many different ways. If it was just a sympathetic ear to lend, or more concrete help offered, they have always been there when I needed them... or stayed in the background when that was the more appropriate action.
Even in my moments of deepest self-pity, when I might've been inclined to feel the most alone, I never did get the feeling I really WAS alone. This is something that I think a lot of people take for granted many times -- that they do have that network there. There aren't too many people that I've ever come in contact with that I could say were truly all alone (devoid of friends/family). By "too many", I mean "any". I can conceive that there are some, but I've just never met them.
So if you are among those people I count as friends, thank you. Thank you from the very bottom of my heart. It may not have ever been a big deal to you when you offered your support, but it was to me, no matter what capacity that support came in.
----------------------------
Friday night. I'm drunk. I get a call from none other than buzz_bee. He says we should get together sometime next week and have a drink for my birthday.
See what I mean, people!? Greatest friends EVAR!