I’m back in good ‘ol northwest Ohio where I grew up for a few days of rest and relaxation. I’m blessed enough to get a bunch of time off from my daily designing duties at work. But all alliterations aside, I’m nonetheless mildly comforted by the dreary winter days of my childhood.

We were out last night at a pool hall, and it hit me just how much time changes, yet things stay the same. You know, I’m the type that anguishes endlessly over whether or not friends that I used to hold dear, now living far away, will merely move on. But last night, over beer and billiards, with stale smoke hanging all over us, I’ve realized that generally speaking, things stay the same. Sure I guess statistically someone could have told me that before, but it’s my inner pessimist that always causes me to doubt even my closest friends.

As the snow lazily drifts to the ground here, not everything is blanketing and covered in my life. I’ve come to realize just how much I miss some of my friends from high school. Seeing them, not even passing words, reawakens in me the spirit, the naivite, the innocence of my high school years…and reminds me just how much i loved that time of my life. I’ve finally come to realize just how desperately I long for good, solid relationships with good, honest people.

So, as the immature part of me stomps around and pouts for not having these people directly surrounding me for more than a few select days a year, perhaps I’ll finally learn to appreciate the time that I do have with them. I doubt I’ll ever *stop* missing them, and in fact I hope that I never do.

Merry Christmas and happy holidays all. May you all be surrounded by loved ones that you hold dear to your collective hearts.