In exactly 60 days I depart the United States in hopes of preventing life from escaping me, and, in exactly nine days, this guy hits the big three-zero! Yes, the so-called dirty thirty has in some ways crept up on me, and, like most, I often wonder how quickly life passes. I know when we were all younger you would hear that all the time, but until you start experiencing months passing like weeks and reminiscing upon past years as though they were previous months, you fail to recognize how quickly life changes until you stop to reflect upon it. This was quite evident when I was with my friend Lynn last night and we were discussing how long we have known each other. After some debate we came to the conclusion that it's been a little over three years. I'll never forget the first time I met both her and Andrea. I had just returned from a weekend trip to Vegas with the Cali boys, and for anyone that's heard the stories you can imagine how exhausted I was, the first place I wanted to hit was my bed and the last place I wanted to be was playing wingman for a friend. Needless to say, if it weren't for the unrelenting peer pressure and sarcastic mockery I suppose I might have never met two very good friends that years later have become wonderful memories that continue to this day. Congratulations footbags.
After I wrestled with another sleepless night, I realized that it's not always those monumental and significant events, such as Vegas trips or New Years Eve parties that I will miss most, but those times that I'm able to just share some laughs and conversation with a friend on a weeknight at Chili's in Westminster, Colorado. The simplicity of proximity and the relationships that are built around time spent rather than time lost is another way I feel that I've taken advantage of preventing life from escaping me. However, as life is full of chapters, the chapter of my time in Denver is quickly coming to an end.
Lynn also asked if I was scared or nervous at all with the departure closing in with each day. My answer was an obvious yes, but, I also told her that I'm excited for what lay ahead, even in spite of not knowing what each new day will bring. A wonderful quote I heard from Dr. James Orbinski states, "one cannot be so afraid of dying, that you miss living." My fear is that many of us rely upon the safety of the familiar that when we are finally able to free ourselves of venturing out to take that risk of the unknown so often it's too late. I'm not looking for anyone to stand up and applaud what it is that I'm doing, but I once again encourage all of you to experience all that life has to offer and to dream big.