Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Carpe diem

Sometimes, people surprise you. Sometimes, people are exactly what you expect. Now, I don't mean that in either a good or a bad way. It is what it is.

For instance, sometimes, when travelling through, there are those people who you'd expect would make the time, possibly rearrange their schedules, in order to see you. Then there are those who you'd not expect to hear much from at all. We file these people away in their respective folders, then sometimes, out of no where, it's as if a two-year-old got a hold of the files and ran, guns blazing, around the room with the folders wide open, people and expectations being scattered every which way.

I guess this is the first time I've been passing through the old stomping grounds after I've reconnected with some old friends, friends who I haven't seen in a solid five to seven years. Our paths diverged, then re-joined, somewhere along the way, for whatever reason - it doesn't really matter what the reason is, what matters is that we've been given the opportunity to reignite something, and that something could be great. Every opportunity has the potential to be great. So, when you're given an opportunity, shouldn't you seize it? Carpe diem, my friends! Every chance.

At the other end of this spectrum, there are those whom you would suspect, because you tend to keep in touch regularly, or because you talk about getting together when you're in the same place, or whatever, that you would meet up with these people once said circumstances are present. Then, nothing. Or, excuses. I'm not one to force people to spend time on me, but like I said, sometimes, there are those whom you would expect to spend time together with. Now, not to say that I don't feel a little disappointed by this, but that's life, and who am I to suggest that time spent with me is any more important than time spent doing something else? I don't take it personally - it is what it is. How we each spend our life is based on a series of choices and I'm not in the position to judge how others choose to spend their lives.


But, then I wonder sometimes, especially when our time is so limited, why we don't seize these opportunities? I'm reminded of a blog I read on a regular basis, which addressed these same thoughts. Mark Kolke's Morning Musings read:



"Too soon, too far, and too much are not barriers to great relationships or great ideas... and they are so much better than too little, too late, too bad, too inconvenient, too much water under the bridge or too much trouble."



Ain't that the truth? So, why then, do we put off, and make excuses to ignore these opportunities? I know this advice is now coming from an unemployed, twenty-something, who is living with her mother, and has essentially the most open schedule in human history, but even when my circumstances were different, I recognized the importance of making the most of the opportunities we've been given. Strangely enough, that's what got me to where I am now!



Then there are those whom one can go without constant contact. They're what I like to refer to as "friend soul mates". Friend soul mates are those whom we have such deep connections with, that we can go months, if not years between telephone calls, e-mails, Facebook messages, and visits, but once you're back together, or back on the phone, or exchanging those e-mails, there's no hard feelings, no expectations for one person to apologize for not keeping in touch, no awkwardness or guilt. These low-maintenance friendships come from a connection on the soulular level (ha! geek joke - cellular, soulular.. get it?). They're those friendships you feel in your heart, like there is always a string that keeps you connected on some interstellar level - like a "tin-can-and-string telephone", but the string can reach to infinity.


That being said, I like having my expectations put in check - it keeps me on my toes and reminds me that humanity will always be unpredictable, exciting, unexpected, wonderful.

No matter which category a person fits in, I'm glad they are there. Whether we catch up regularly or once in a blue moon, on the internet or in person or on the phone, I'm thankful because not everyone can be a friendship soul mate, but every choice and every person in my life is of value.

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