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Afterthoughts : Converging Anniversaries
The 31st of January is a day that can't go by without remembering how I felt four years ago when my Grandmother died. Just three short years later I had gotten my degree, and I was starting a new job. Now here it is, 2009, and the anniversaries converge. I've been at my job for a year now, and my Grandmother has been gone for four. It was a bitter sweet day in that the most horrible day of my life shares the anniversary of one of the best days of my life. I decided to celebrate the new and spend a few moments remembering my Grandmother privately. Because I had to work I couldn't visit her grave, but I shall soon. She knows that I have her in my heart, and I'll never forget her.
Duty called, and I was tapped to be one of the photographers for the Crowell library anniversary. Here's the whole "gang" posing for a group photo.
These are the good people I've been lucky to work with for the past year. I've written how 2008 was not a great year for me personally. I can truly say that one of the only highlights was working with this group of people. I came in a total stranger, and they accepted me into their fold. It's very rare to find a workplace with such a collection of good people. I think that all the terrible stuff I went through in 2008 would have been a lot less tolerable if not for my co-workers. I hold a special place in my heart for this building and those who work in it. After graduating I still needed direction in life, but it was hard to get someone to put their faith in me. These people did just that.
Among the festivities of the day was the opportunity to meet Ray Bradbury. He spoke for about an hour about love, loving what you do, and doing what you love. Not for money, which has never been my goal, but for love. His words struck a chord that has been resinating since the beginning of the year. And they came to affirm the idea that I must do what is my passion.
I know that I've made my Mother and Grandmother proud in the years since they left this Earth. I wish that I had gotten my act together earlier in life, so they could have been here to see where their nurturing has gotten me. If there is a heaven, I hope that they can see me from it. Because I miss them very much. I haven't even begun to scratch the surface of my life yet. Hopefully there will be many more years to come in which to reach my goals.
Four years can go by so quickly, and so much can happen. In my case my life was turned completely around. But my Grandmother's passing was not all sad. She herself told me that she was tired and ready to die. So I accepted that as her asking me to let her go. I did, though I didn't want to. And now, here I am, a lucky bastard with a great group of people to work with. My Grandmother's passing taught me to cherish what you have, but also not to try to hold on to it too hard, for it will slip through your fingers. Even in passing she taught me so much about living. I'm never really alone because of that.
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