You Can’t Always Get What You Want

 

You know the rest of how that song goes.

There are lots of people I know who carry around a lot of negative energy. Luckily I know tons of people and I can offset that lot of people w/ even more positive people. That positivity really comes through in the form of happiness.

I had an idea of what this trip would be and it has been anything but what I intended. Rather than the reunion I foresaw, I was hit with the most pleasantly unlikely group. Even more pleasantly and unlikely, but equally appreciated, was their exceptionally positive disposition. The group I reunited with was probably the most negative when I left. Now they seem to be the happiest.

Part of any reunion is we rightfully anticipate learning about our current selves – who we are now relative to who we aspired to be at a certain point in time. This is where people gauge how they're doing in life mostly based on others in a failed attempt to learn something about themselves. Most people want to feel like they’re succeeding and they want to feel it based on their former peers’ perceptions or ambitions.

I think we encountered some of that this time from the more unlikely group. I anticipated not encountering any of this and got on the road for New Jersey this evening very disappointed – even a bit offended and saddened. I certainly didn’t get what I wanted.

Just when it was time to leave, we get my last wish for this trip – a classic Noreaster. These burly winter storms track up the Eastern Seaboard, terrorizing everything in its path with snow, rain and ice. We love them!

So Lindsay and Hannah’s flights were canceled and Southwest gave us the option to reschedule for free. Now they’re headed back to Olympia Saturday and we’re sitting in Denville, NJ about to catch the best part of the storm. There’s something we want.

But the part I needed (and still need) is time to catch up with family and talk about family. This is the reunion for me. I’ll gauge where I’m at in life based on my aspirations the last time I was here in 2003. I’ll also meet people I both respect and love and establish new aspirations. I won’t, however, base my success on the successes or failures of anyone here. The people I’m seeing here radiate success, happiness and positivity – that’s why I love them and came to meet their welcoming arms.