Thirty Four

I had a small moment of introspection while on vacation this week. It came from my cell phone. Well, actually, it came to my cell phone.

It was Monday, March 20th … my 34th birthday. Suzan and I were in Las Vegas, wandering out onto the strip for breakfast and a trip to the Atomic Testing Museum (yes, I am such a nerd). All through the morning my Sidekick II was chirping and beeping, notifying me as new email arrived.

Most of the emails were from friends wishing me a happy birthday. I know some of them were prompted by electronic reminders rather than excellent memory, but they actually took the time to send the greeting. Before I left town, a few gifts from friends arrived (one even dropped it off in person).

They’re not big things, the presents or the emails, but they mean a lot. I am at place in my life now where these personal connections mean more than ever. The ten years I’ve spent around Atlanta have made me form links … more to people than places or things. Even though many of my best friends aren’t technically “local” to Loganville, they are somehow connected to the Atlanta area.

Ten years ago I was a few months from leaving graduate school for a “real job”, months away from marriage. In that first year I would break ties with one set of friends & a life I built over six years. What I have built here in ten years is something I don’t think I could have appreciated at 24, but is more important to me now than ever.

A few emails & some small trinkets prove that more than any other present.