Thanksgiving in May
On a whim, I thought this would be a worthwhile post. Every now and then -- and it seems to be happening to me more of late -- I get hit with this feeling of gratefulness for the things I have in my life, or the things that make life worth the effort. When I'm feeling less-than-great, I try to remember these things and tell myself to have the patience to stick it out. Here's a brief list:
- Dogs - The most honest and true companions of the human race. Even if they don't really exhibit all the wide-eyed silly-voiced personalities we project onto them, they're great to have around.
- I beat cancer - This should be a pretty obvious one. I'm also glad I updated this blog as often as I did, because it's nice to read the archive and remember what I went through.
- Health insurance - I really got a sweet deal on the coverage for my cancer treatments. Since my employer's health insurance is a "group" plan, my premium is based on age, not physical health. Because there's a yearly out-of-pocket limit of $1500, after a few months, everything was free. Of course, switching to a new health plan could be tricky when the time comes.
- My parents - They let me live with them without hassle until I can properly afford to live on my own. They accompanied me to doctor appointments and chemo sessions. They paid for piano lessons. And even though my dad's propensity for gathering information to give his advice often annoys me (what I'd write off as "being nosy" but others would call "just being a dad"), when I'm truly open and actually give him the information with which to make a sound judgment, he does so.
- My friends - This is probably the one that hits me the most. I don't think I can properly put into words how much I love my friends. Maybe it's just because I had so few when I was younger, that it still feels like something new. When I think of all the stuff we've done together... weekends at the cottage... taco/wing night... New York City... Cedar Point... going to see each other's shows... Fox animation night at Stu & Laurie's... well, like I said, I can't really put it into words. But I feel very fortunate to have the friends I do. In a Kevin-Baconesque way, I have Sarah Gemmel to thank: she gave my name to Jeff Caja, who gave my name to Deb Wentz about playing piano for Forever Plaid way back in aught-2. I had a lot of fun doing that show, and if it weren't for that, I probably wouldn't have become the community theatre regular I am. The next show, at the same theater, was Cabaret, and that's when things really took off. After the show closed, we started our weekly "taco night" at The Rush, and the rest is pretty much history. You guys rock. (And that's not to slight my friends from college and before; I just never see you guys on a regular basis. :) Although I do talk to Justin daily over IM.)
So there. I just had to get that out.
3 Comments:
Well put, even for not being able to find the words. I have been lucky enough to seem to have floated from one group of friends to another since junior high, but the "Taco Nighters" seem to have the most staying power. We're not the friends from school and work that you have because you see each other out of necessity or temporary community. We've stuck together through moving out of county, out of state, cancer, babies, weddings, bad shows, intra-circle dating, etc. etc. This is no temporary community we've built, based only on the desire to have others to go out to eat with. We've become more than just superficial friends that you have in-depth conversations about the weather with. We've outlasted the close of curtain after curtain, and when the applause finally dies, we're still cheering each other on.
And for as much of your good humor we abuse with desperate requests for your various talents, we love you.
Well said. I remember the first few months of taco night, when Dee and I would be there from 7 'til 11 and sit through three shifts: the go-to-bed-early teacher crowd, then the barely-enough-seats-at-the-big-table crowd, then the working-evenings crowd. I think especially now, the group has whittled down to those who really want to hang out with us, and that's brought us closer.
Huzzah! -should we bring that back? :-P
I tell ya. Having everyone here is so great to Laurie and I since we do not have any family here in Ohio. To me, the taco group transcends friendship. We have become a family of sorts. It makes us feel as if we are not as isolated from those we love because we know that there are people who love and care for us nearby.
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