Birthdays and Good Friends

Happy Birthday to me!

Today, I am 36 years old. Or, I am 432 months old, or 1,872 weeks old, or 13,140 days old. Man, that can either make you feel ancient or make you feel pretty good. I'll take the latter.

You would think that I'd have something profound or pithy to say on my birthday (which I share with fellow blogger Wil Wheaton {see links section}). but I don't have anything to say. For those who know me that should seem odd, as I've always been the guy whom people have a great deal of difficulty in shutting up.

I may not have much to say about my birthday, but I have been doing a lot of thinking lately. I've been thinking about friends.

I've always been a kind of independent sort, bordering on hermetic. Still, I've managed to meet a few folks that I consider myself close to. You never realize just how much having friends matters until you no longer have any nearby. That, and when you realize that the friends you do have are over 1400 miles away or are at old places of employment, it becomes harder to reconnect with them because you're not a part of their daily lives.

I spoke to a good friend of mine recently, whom I will call by the psuedonym "Ed". Ed and I have known each other for a long time and he's an important part of my life. When I last spoke to him, I could listen between the lines, so to speak. I'm worried for him. It's not that he sounded unhappy or anything, he just sounded ........unfulfilled. As though, for one reason or another, he's gotten stalled in his own life. Since as recently as 4 years ago I was in the same boat, I know how he feels.

I want to help him desperately, but I can't. It's just that having met Olivia and having had the twins, I'm actually very happy in my private life and I want Ed to have that same happiness, if not better. However, I can't give that to him.

Thinking back to when I met Olivia, I remember thinking "Now if Ed meets someone we could couple-date!" Yeah, okay, so that's a little odd sounding too, but it's my dime, folks. The thing is, Ed hasn't found anyone worthy of him and part of me just wants to find a woman for him, sit them both down in the same room and say "Look, you two are perfect for each other: now go on a DATE, dammit!"

Ed's career is also kind of stalled, but I really can't do anything about that. So he needs a new job, new woman, new car (why a new car you ask? Why not a new car??). Fortunately, Ed doesn't need to be a new person: I'm very proud to call him my friend. I just wish that I could do more for him.

That's my birthday wish, mi amigo.

Take care,
~Rob