Discovery

While hunting for the photo this morning, I stumbled over my cache of old archived email. I have a fairly continuous record of what I was writing and saying and coordinating with friends and family over email for the past 8 years or so, now. Wow. I got a little sappy.

As I was flipping through, I realized a lot of it is junk (before I figured out my super-slick, executive inbox-always-at-zero cleaning system), but there are some real gems buried in that mess... particularly during my stay at Rice.

I laughed out loud at some of the stories and jokes we tossed around... and I also felt really sad because some of notes reminded me of the good times that are long gone, and worse, some of them were about events and people that I've already forgotten and are impossible to reconstruct in my head.

I read a very long series of trivial, meaningless letters trying to coordinate going out for dinner with guys that lived no more than 30 feet from me. Why didn't we just knock on each others' doors?

Now, it really IS a monumental task to coordinate dinner. Those guys all live in different cities, and we can only promise to meet once a year.

I wish I could go knock on Sean and Alex's door to watch some tv with them on Alex's torn-up, impossible to move, white leather couch one more time.

I wish Clay was here to help me get the oscilliscope, Trigger, into just one more wacky, mischief-filled situation.

I wish Mike and I could have one more chance to stay up late arguing, proving our inconsequential points, and most importantly joking until one of us signalled that he was finally tired by suddenly saying way too loudly, "GOOD NIGHT."

Above all else, I'd pay a million bucks for another crack at that Christmas tree.

It's a trite thing to point out, but friends and the good life spent with them, like all things, are most appreciated when they aren't nearby and conveniently close.

So to The Boys: All of us are doing our best in our own ways and in our own places... No matter where you find yourself, know that I'm genuinely proud of each of you and am so happy to hear of your successes and, if you'd like, will listen and offer support during your failures. I have always admired and respected the talents and gifts you each have to share.

For times I've disappointed you, I'm sorry.
For times we've laughed together, I am forever thankful.
For times yet to come... well... let's go get 'em...
Anyone up for Sammy's?

Hmmm... that's what I get for being sentimental.

Time to go to bed.