Now that we are almost one month into the new year, eleven days into my Forties and three days under a new leader I thought I had enough to BLOG about. The past year had it's up and it's downs. My Grandfather used to say that life was like a heart monitor if it's flat you are dead. Jeffrey and I took our first vacation in five years in April. We spent a few days with our wonderful friends Robb and David in Washington D.C. We had an amazing time, saw the sites and spent a good deal of time just hanging out with them. We took the train to New York and saw three fantastic shows. It was a great time. As of July 1 my company was purchased by Bank of America and since then I have been working on my regular stuff, but am running a couple of transition projects to ensure that my business doesn't stop as a result of the transition to the new company. I still don't know what job I will have when all is said and done, but believe that I will land somewhere!
In October, while attending the High Level Design session on my projects my Grandmother was struck ill and passed away within two days. It was sudden and a tragic loss to me and my family. She was a vibrant woman full of life. We found after her passing that she belonged to three gyms. The big muscle guys at Gold's knew her and were said when they learned she had died. The funeral was amazing, and now we are learning about life without this wonderful woman.
This last year I discovered while visiting with my Brother and his family that Myspace wasn't where it was at, but it was Facebook. As a result I have reconnected with people I haven't seen or spoken to since High School. I realized over the last few weeks that the various stages of my life have collided. After High School I became more active in DeMolay. So active, that I was elected League President. The problem was that during my short time as League President I came out and started drinking. Rather then facing these people, who showed nothing by love and friendship I ran away. A couple of years later I got sober and found a whole new group of friends. These people changed my life, and I like to think that it was the foundation I laid with them (along with my daily prayer and meditation) has kept me sober for more then 18 years. I also met Jeffrey after my second year of sobriety, and we celebrated our sixteenth anniversary last November. He deserves a medal for putting up with me for so long! :)
I have learned over the last ten years to just be myself. What you see is what you get. I don't hide who I am and am open to all (sometimes to my determent). I have amazing people in my life today and am so grateful for all of these gifts. Now through the wonders of modern technology I have reconnected with so many people who new me at different parts of my life. People who I thought about often, but didn't know how to find. It shows me what Jeffrey always said, just because you don't see or speak to someone doesn't mean that you aren't close, or can't reconnect. He's a wise man.
As we go forward into 2009 I continue to be amazed at the lives that my long time friends have built for themselves. I am grateful for the amazing people I have in my life, and cherish them everyday. I am grateful for the lessons I have learned and continue to learn. Most importantly I am grateful for the amazing man I found to spend my life with. I am truly blessed.
