Gunning for the road less traveled

While I was sitting at the party watching everyone Friday night I had a moment of sea change. The relationship that brought me here is one I've had since my 20s, with a girl and her husband whose life couldn't have been more different than mine.

In the last 25 years I've watched them hit all the signposts that lives are supposed to hit, while I've spent my time navigating my own personal mine field.

She was the sister-in-law of an old boyfriend and we couldn't have been more different - yet we became friends. She married her high school sweetheart and raised two kids, while I avoided children and married just two years ago. She was the girl who just wanted the love of her man and a family and not much more....while I was gunning for something loftier. And here I am 25 years later, sitting in this room watching the richness of lives and families intertwined in a small town realizing I too could have done this. It was right there under my nose as I careened down the road of life burning right past this conventional exit, after all....I was on my way to a very important destination...right? And now I'm sitting here thinking in fact....love of a family, friends in a small town, IS a pretty damn good destination. These people seem to love being together.... they aren't trying to "make it" -- they "make it " everyday just by loving each other and honoring their "family"....family? Yes...say the dirty word out loud...f a m i l y.

Family of man, family I ran, family I can....

I'm not saying this would have been the perfect life for me....but then why can't I stop crying? I came face to face with some of my own choices this weekend.

Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®