After the last few days of intensity, I figured I could use something to break the tension, and what better way is there than to watch the sunrise with a cup of coffee?
I love these moments when the sky changes color and the birds begin to chirp. Most of the world is sleeping and the streets are quiet. I see this as a perfect time to enjoy my small town and share some words with God the Father to restore a semblance of peace.
This morning was cooler than the last few. Yesterday’s humidity broke with its heavy rainfall and this morning’s air is not as thick as it has been.
(And that’s a good thing)
Soon the winds will be cool and the leaves will change. The summer will release its grip and homes will decorate for the upcoming holidays.
(I like that)
I like the orange and yellow leaves of autumn. I like the way fallen leaves lay on wet suburban streets beneath the gray clouds on a rainy day. I like this because it reminds me of a good time when I was a little boy.
Who we were and who we grow into is truly an amazing phenomenon. Last night, I saw several people from my youth. We are all grown now. We have careers. We have homes and mortgages. Like me, many have children. We have families to care for and responsibilities.
I looked at the familiar faces in the room and I tried to recall them as they were when we were all young and crazy. I couldn’t remember some of them, but that was okay, because some of them couldn’t remember me.
After all the, “How’ve you been,” questions and “Where are you living now,” we referred to our memories and we laughed. It is amazing to think of what we did and what we got away with. Add this to how we were, and miraculously, it equals who we are now.
We laughed about the schoolyard fights and recalled the names that dropped away over the years.
We asked the “Whatever happened to that guy?” and the “Do you remember when,” questions.
Last night, I sat with some of “The Boys,” from the town as well as one of my oldest friends. We joked about the past and remembered the local police officers that knew us all by name.
Scanning the crowd, I remembered this bunch from the days when we used to ride BMX bicycles, or skateboards to school.
I remembered them, as they were, dressed in the terrible fashions of the 1980’s with longhair and mullets.
We wore ripped jeans, band t-shirts, and denim jackets with a pack of Marlboro Reds tucked in the outside chest pocket. And decades later, we reminisced about the old days and how incredibly wild they were. However, our hair is not what it used to be. Age and its sense of humor have changed our hairlines and gravity has become more apparent in some of our waists.
As irresponsible as we once were, we are parents now, which became apparent as one of “The Boys” looked at his watch and told his wife, “We have to get home and relieve the baby sitter.”
We all parted around the same time and shared the usual, “It was really good to see you” gestures, which followed with a hug and the manly, but simultaneous, slaps to each other’s back.
We all said, “We should do this again soon,” and “Hopefully, next time we see each other it will be under better circumstances.”
Our reason for gathering was to help an old friend say farewell to his son. The memorial service was beautiful. And after, the entire congregation released 111 yellow balloons into the sky and cried out, “We love you Jake!”
Yellow was Jake’s favorite color . . .
We stood together, arm around shoulders, and we all watched as the balloons drifted away.
But I don’t want to wait for another tragedy to see old friends. I don’t want to lose anything to realize what I have. So, today I will start over, and I will remember to reach out more because I don’t want tomorrow to come and I lose my chance to say, “I love you.”
The Written Addiction 