The little things matter

With R., on-call and up in the (San Fernando) Valley, I felt a bit out of sorts. Thus, while hitting the housework, I called family and friends. None were home, of course.

I had already made up my mind to visit Greg and Clark at The Center Orange County. There I saw Ricky and Josie. After Ricky left, we reminisced about how our lives have changed over the past few years: how we all met, The Center, our marital statuses, volunteer work, etc. We discovered tidbits we didn't know previously: I had not known (or, more likely, had forgotten) that Greg used to chair one of the Center's major programs for several months.

It's these little things--meetings with friends, family, and people in general--that are the substance of life. And that substance is not always pleasant like tonight's trip. It's real easy to get caught up with dreams and illusions: the world is the way you want it.

But nothing stays still or is permanent. Eventually the pain is replaced by joy; the illusion of fulfillment, by lonliness. I'm getting an inkling, as I move through my life, to the purpose of this all. And what is that?

Om