A break from the world

Vacation, all I ever wanted.

Well, we just got back from a lovely mini-vacation to the beach. We went out to my parent's time share (this is their week) on Saturday, stayed Sunday and took off work Monday and Tuesday to make a four day, three night trip. C'est tres relaxament.

The resort is in North Reddington Beach, on the Gulf. My grandparents bought the place circa 1981, so I've been going since I was 2. Me and my brothers all learned to swim in that very pool. It's kinda nice to have a place that has remained basically unchanged in a quarter century, that you can visit occasionally to remind you that there are things you can hang on to.

My mom became very wistful this morning, and said that she feels very close to her mother there. I can remember my grandma making blended adult beverages in the room, and bringing a pitcher out to the table. She loved the sun, the beach, and the pool, but I think she really loved hanging out with her family. Maybe I'm just projecting, because I had a great time with all of those things, especially the family part, but I like to think that is only because of the values passed on from her to me.

Anyways, if a place reminds you of a loved one, and if you feel closer to them, and if it makes you remember them, and tell stories about them... then I believe that in that way, they continue to dwell there- their presence is as real as can be.

Dr. Cox agrees!

About my last post: So I was looking at the quotes page for Scrubs on IMDb, and I ran across this rant from Perry, the insult comic doctor:

Dr. Cox: Relationships don't work they way they do on television and in the movies. Will they? Won't they? And then they finally do, and they're happy forever. Gimme a break. Nine out of ten of them end because they weren't right for each other to begin with, and half of the ones who get married get divorced anyway, and I'm telling you right now, through all this stuff I have not become a cynic. I haven't. Yes, I do happen to believe that love is mainly about pushing chocolate covered candies and, y'know, in some cultures, a chicken. You can call me a sucker, I don't care, because I do believe in it. Bottom line: it's couples who are truly right for each other wade through the same crap as everybody else, but the big difference is they don't let it take them down. One of those two people will stand up and fight for that relationship every time. If it's right, and they're real lucky, one of them will say something.

Isn't amazing when you make a statement, and you find out that someone you respect (the writers, not necessarily Dr. Cox) had the same thought?

Lover and a Fighter

So, this week saw the dissolution of two long standing relationships, each involving our loved ones. My brother Jeremy broke up with his girlfriend of 2.5 years, and our friend Billy broke up with his girlfriend of 2 years.

This turn of events really has brought something to my attention- the fragility of human relationships. You can think that you are relating to someone, and you can be extremely happy with them... but it can all be over tomorrow. There will always be secrets, there will always be hidden feelings that can surface at any time.

But I think there's hope. I think that all it takes is a shared sense that the relationship is worth fighting for. If you have that, then most secrets don't matter, and hidden feelings are almost inconsequential. I think at least one party in each of my examples didn't have that. For whatever reason, the fight left them, and the other stuff won out.

So if you love something... fight for it.