Growth

My problem these days isn't trying to come up with something to post here. If anything, infrequent updates leaves me with an avalanche of various thoughts and events from which to pick. Not all of them would make me happy to share (the ultimate goal of this blog), nor do many of them make good reads for you (I'd imagine that's what your goal is in surfing around).

I could talk about the fact I'm losing a good reporter to another job and need to find another good one pronto. I could tell you about a photo we had blown up to hang on one of our walls. I could expound on the plumbing issues we're having, but I've run that one into the ground. My in-laws are coming to visit this weekend; fodder enough but maybe better saved for after they leave. The Cutlet talks a lot, and now we can understand the majority of it. He also used his little potty for the first time last week. It was quite moving (and not just for his bowels). I could talk about bicycling escapades. Wanting to go to the beach. Wanting to pack up and move to Colorado. Wanting to stay here for a while but find a different line of work. In the end, I guess I just talked about all those things.

While cleaning up the kitchen this morning (ah, my blissful Thursday off with the Cutlet ... gives me lots of time to reflect on stuff), I was thinking how stupid I was in the past. Not just a dork, but a dense dork. I grew up a polite kid, but my social skills weren't firing on all cylinders until I hit my 20s. This means I lost the chance at many friendships, a few romances and that all-important popularity that would have bouyed my teen years beyond mere survival. This realization gives me lots of regrets for things I didn't do.

I would wager most of us have events in our lives that weren't lived to the fullest. I think coming to the conclusion that some of that time was wasted redeems it somewhat. Life may be short, but there are all sorts of moments that don't really count (stopping at stoplights, waiting for water to boil, watching paint dry or pooping). That means time spent with loved ones counts double or triple. The upper joys and lowest sadnesses are also worth more, for better or for worse. On that note, the Cutlet wants to go outside and play. The sun is shining, it's going to be warm yet again. The time we spend today will be worth at the very least triple of normal time. Because I'm not going to waste it. Too soon those times will be gone.