Friends & Family

An unexpected call and a visit from S my oldest friend, a detour North to catchup with the cripple.
As our friendship enters a third decade its a relaxed affair, solid foundations forged in the flames of adventures, accidents, rescues and more. We've held each other through love and loss, celebrated arrivals and raised glasses to the departed. I hope everyone reading this has people like this in their lives; the people you don't have to clean the house for, where the conversation has just as many unspoken words, the ones who fall asleep on the couch and can still balance a malt on their chest.

And all of this is wonderful and I'm thankful.
Part two of my day was my family.

It's not a bond that's ever sat well with me, I've never placed a lot of trust in that genetic link. When our family was tested some bonds held, some shattered, but what also became clear was that, for me at least, a bond is only ever as good as the energy that goes into making it. I've friends who I'd walk through fire for, friends who came into the dark to find me, friends who make me more than I am. Yet today I met my sister for maybe the third time in a decade, met her 7 year old twins for the first time in their lives, saw an aunt and uncle who have slowly become strangers. It was an odd day. Sat with my brother and his wife I thought on the fact that I think of them as friends, that that is the label I wrap them in, thats the place they hold in my heart, that's the way I think of them as something more. Sure the kids are lovely and annoying and lovely again in the way of nearly all small people, but I don't think it's that helix of dna that would bind us, it's the hope of the people they might become. It was a pleasant enough way to spend a lunch, but somehow the glow was missing. It's not a sad thing or a bad thing, in fact I'm not even sure if it is a thing.

And then this evening we sat around a table and laughed till we cried with good friends and passing friends, the friends of friends, and the friends to be. Some have slowly evolved, and some will pass on by on different paths, yet it was a table I felt much more comfortable at. With the fire crackling at my back I was acutley aware of the glow from the people in front of me.

In what will be our busiest social whirr in ages, tomorrow we'll meet up with the side of the family I married into. I think of them as friends.