So I was in Tucson this week. Did I miss anything?? “Yeesh!” on everything … seems like the weather apocalypse happened while I was gone. (The folks of Tucson were equally mortified … it was 53 degrees one morning, I know, gasp.) You all are troopers, and I’m so glad I missed it.
I visited friends I haven’t seen in a very long time. My friend’s mom, who lives there and was the reason they came back (Mother’s Day) from Bali to see her, said to me upon seeing me (she was one of my first bosses) “what happened to your hair?” and then “you look really different; you look good”. I wasn’t really sure how to respond to either statement. She’s 88, and my friend says she’s past the point of politically correct statements.
I learned things this week. Genuine friends last a lifetime – it may be a long time between visits but if you can take up where you left off, that’s the mark of a genuine friend. I learned that even though my perception is that life/work is on the brink of collapsing – it probably isn’t and things will turn out fine. My worry and anxiety are mine alone, and just because I infuse drama into a situation doesn’t mean everyone else does as well. A lesson on travel – excessive planning produces anxiety and sometimes going with the flow works just as well. And – this is important – wearing an Iowa shirt in an airport invites comments (good and bad) and conversation, even if you don’t feel like talking. (If you’re tired and don’t want to talk, wear a plain shirt.)
