"We cannot live the afternoon of life according to the program of life's morning; for what in the morning was true will in evening become a lie."
-- C.G. Jung
For several years, I would have said something not so flattering - here and there and everywhere. But, time passes and you start to forget, you're left with well wishing and a small smile. Then you're actually overcome with happiness to discover their happiness. You look forward to what they're looking forward to.
My high school sweetheart stopped by my work today to drop something off. He had spent time overseas, a little time in both Afghanistan and Iraq and my co-workers sent him care packages. He presented them with a flag that flew over there, it was really nice. The whole situation was nice.
What I would have said years ago (probably over a decade now) would not have been flattering. I most likely would never have signed him up back then to receive the packages. At the time, some of the trash talk was actually truth but in the landscape of time comes other truths, other things you begin to notice and see with age. Understanding of how everything went - my own faults and his too get added to the mix and make the story somehow different than it was back then. Anger, hurt, I barely remember these but I know they existed at one point. Very deeply but no more. There aren't even scars left behind. But - when someone says to me (after his departure) "He is gorgeous, is he married?" And I can easily say "yes" with a genuine smile. "Too bad," was her response. I chuckled. I spent three years with him, that was enough for me. Still - there is that bit of pride. As Spice once said, after seeing some old photos, "He's a total Jordan Catalano." Yeah, it creates a strange sense of pride but one worth feeling good about because all I've got left there is part of my story... and at least that part is now beautiful in it's own way.
-- C.G. Jung
For several years, I would have said something not so flattering - here and there and everywhere. But, time passes and you start to forget, you're left with well wishing and a small smile. Then you're actually overcome with happiness to discover their happiness. You look forward to what they're looking forward to.
My high school sweetheart stopped by my work today to drop something off. He had spent time overseas, a little time in both Afghanistan and Iraq and my co-workers sent him care packages. He presented them with a flag that flew over there, it was really nice. The whole situation was nice.
What I would have said years ago (probably over a decade now) would not have been flattering. I most likely would never have signed him up back then to receive the packages. At the time, some of the trash talk was actually truth but in the landscape of time comes other truths, other things you begin to notice and see with age. Understanding of how everything went - my own faults and his too get added to the mix and make the story somehow different than it was back then. Anger, hurt, I barely remember these but I know they existed at one point. Very deeply but no more. There aren't even scars left behind. But - when someone says to me (after his departure) "He is gorgeous, is he married?" And I can easily say "yes" with a genuine smile. "Too bad," was her response. I chuckled. I spent three years with him, that was enough for me. Still - there is that bit of pride. As Spice once said, after seeing some old photos, "He's a total Jordan Catalano." Yeah, it creates a strange sense of pride but one worth feeling good about because all I've got left there is part of my story... and at least that part is now beautiful in it's own way.
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