"Fool in the Rain"

Whoo. So nothing quite panned out as planned this weekend, but that's okay. I got home later than expected on Wednesday, missed hanging out with my cousin and a good friend, and came back to Milledgeville a day early...only to find that my front driver’s side tire was going flat. ::sigh:: I proceeded to run (okay, drive) to Wal-Mart's tire center, because apparently it's the only tire place open on Saturday. Psh. It took them two and a half hours to patch my tire. Two and a half hours! It's a good thing the bill was only $6.50. ::glares threateningly:: But! Along with the mishaps, I got to spend plenty of quality time with my family, completed some Christmas/Birthday shopping, spied a few old friends, and ate lots of good food. :-D I’m not sure such a gluttonous holiday is entirely Christian. Hehe.

As I mentioned (last post), we had Thanksgiving dinner at my Dad's parents. Unless I'm mistaken, it is the first time we have had dinner there in a couple of years. Either way, I was extremely excited because it really felt like going home. Not that home isn't home...hehe. It's just...how do I explain this? I was always used to having dinner at Granny and Papa's...for as long as I can remember. It's just tradition. The "adults" sit at the table in the living room, and the "kids" sit at tray tables in the den, watching a movie. While the mothers are cleaning, the Dads usually journey back to the study to observe some new gadget, or to read about Papa’s newest find (the man knows something about everything, I swear – hehe). Eventually everyone comes together near the middle/end of the movie...the men lounging in the den and the women grouped around the kitchen table. It's nothing special, but it means so much somehow. Along that same vein, it was nice to see Mom's mom again. Unfortunately, it has been a while since I've seen her, and even though she didn't really know who I was, it was a much-needed trip.

In history, family relations ensured survival. Today, interacting with family members provides a positive, identifying experience. There is nothing like that one-on-one contact with those closest to us. Common sense tells us that family ties create a sense of support and well being. We're allowed to be ourselves...more so than in any other setting. When I was thinking about the importance of family, I also started thinking about the importance of other relationships. Families may determine long-term values, attitudes, etc., but where would we be without friends? They are the armor that protects against life's roughest battles. Nothing is more important than having someone you can completely confide in. Friends are the most effective preventative methods when it comes to mental meltdowns. Haha. They are beneficial psychologically and physically. "If you have the means, I highly recommend that you pick one up." (from Ferris Bueller...totally unrelated) Anywho. I could go (and have gone) on for aeons about friends, so I will spare the few who manage to read this far. Hehe.

The next thing that entered my head was "why do people feel such a need for love in relationships?" Humans are all about wanting to expand themselves (figuratively) in hopes that they will become an effective individual. What better way to do this than through relationship with others? We usually end up loving someone we find attractive and appropriate for us. Surprisingly enough, however, it would appear that more important than attraction are the characteristics of kindness and intelligence...particularly kindness. Intelligence is important in all aspects, but it is kindness that will ensure a successful long-term relationship. For all of the compatibility and convenience in the world, however, a relationship cannot survive without love. This, of course, applies to friendships as well (platonic love). Discomfiting, eh? I think of this, and then I think of how it applies to my own life. ::pause:: I LOVE YOU GUYS!!! Hehe. :-p Seriously, I'm extremely thankful for all of the "loves" in my life. I never know what direction things are going in, but I know there will always be people who care. You all mean so very much to me...family and friends alike. I can never thank you enough.

Speaking of love, I can never get over how much I love the sky. Tonight the moon was playing games with passing clouds...dazzlingly enchanting. "For my part I know nothing with any certainty, but the sight of the stars makes me dream."

::stretch::

So this, dear reader, is the end of my fanatically long post. Thanks for hanging in there. This is what happens when you're one of five people in an entire residence hall. Heh. I suppose I will resume analyzing Weber's Concertino for music theory. ::heavy sigh:: Remind me...why am I a music major? Heh. After that, I will tune in to an episode of "That 70s Show", down a cup of white chocolate latte, read a chapter or two in "To Kill a Mockingbird", have devotional time (I’ve really missed that), and finally...delightedly snuggle under warm covers and fall asleep to the musical strain of raindrops on my window pane.