Seattle

It's good to get away. This weekend was my college roommate's 42nd birthday. He teaches in Washington State, so I decided to meet him in Seattle for the celebration. We have kept in touch since school, seeing each other a couple times a year for the last--well, let's just say it's been a while since college. Robert is convinced that we are such good friends because we can pick up after six months and it's like we've never changed. I don't buy it; I think we love old friends the most because they remind us of a time before the storms when everything was simpler. The truth is, there were no times before the storms, but the older you get, the easier it is to pretend there were. So, what do I mean by "storms"? Short answer--life. Life is mostly hard times, punctuated by occasional moments of happiness. Leaving wife and kids occasionally to go reenact my college immaturity is necessary and renewing. I love my wife and kids, I just need these occasional trips to remind myself that I don't really want to be 22 anymore. Old friends give us continuity. They remind us both of what we once had, and of what we've become. Thanks for a stupid weekend Robert, I needed it.