[[ 92 ]] Over and Over Again

In my family, we believe that our hearts are rekindled by novel experiences. 
Thus, each year - we try to take a vacation or two. Often nothing big, even weekend getaways provide a fine opportunity to enjoy and adventure together.

Marie, Rika and I try to mix it up... sometimes taking those trips as a family, or sometimes in pairs. Last year, the girls took a spa vacation together. This year, I'm taking trips with each of them separately. We rotate through all combinations.
The kids are grown up (one still lives at home), so depending on the circumstances, we take one, two or all of them along as well.
The point is that we change up all the time: it's organic, allowing us to constantly adjust in order to provide each other with support and space needed for re-charging.

Below is an email Marie recently wrote from work, after she and I had just returned from a short trip to Virginia Beach. There's nothing particularly remarkable about it - such language between the three of us is the norm. However the insightful mind can find some very evident details within which speak volumes about how our relationship works.

- C.D.

From: Marie 
Sent: Monday, May 09, 2016 10:21 AM
To: (Rika & Charles)
Subject: Hello everybody 

Good Monday Morning !!

What a week off ! It was great to go on vacation and take a break from the ‘every day.’ Charles, you were sweet and cute all the time. I enjoyed our little vaca. You are a good partner; even when times weren’t perfect you make the best of the situation. Love that about us ! The joking around is the best medicine. Teasing you is so much fun ! I would do this over again and again… in every life. 

Rika; thank you so much for the motivation in getting stuff done ! It really helps me feel better when things are in order. I only have one more thing to organize in my room; then I am done for the moment. But, we all know that I will find something else, lol.  Speaking of which; is it okay if I schedule the Salvation Army for 5/12, when you’re home? Unless, you aren’t able to do that day. We’ll figure it out.

I was thinking about the kitchen. I am not feeling the mosaic. I will find another use for the tile we purchased. Maybe the bathrooms? I would like to just get the “real mosaic” and pay the price. While I think the fake stuff is okay, it would look so much better if it was real. We will not be doing the work for that. Hired help will happen….also for the flooring. Anyhow, just an idea. We can talk about it later. Not a hurry.

Thank you both for sharing the beautiful emails you wrote to your moms ! Great job !

Also, Charles…. please go ahead and get the music you want. I will transfer some money from Kemba to make sure we have the funds. You can spend up to $100. I would love to get all the Prince music I can ! I forgot how much I enjoy his music. Thank you for doing that. I will take care of the transfer tomorrow morning. In regards to your bonus. Please feel free to take that money out on Friday.

Rika,

I told Charles yesterday that I am trying to do all my studying Sunday – Thursday. That way I have Friday and Saturday off. This class if very time-intensive. But, I do think I am going to learn a bunch. I just need to stay on task and not procrastinate like I did last semester. This is the information that I need to know, so it’s important. I will be enjoying my weekends with my buddies ! I hope you can keep Fridays open. Miss that time with you.

Charles,

Keep your Saturday clear.  

Off to work

- M.

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SO THEN.... sorry we've been busy! Rika too.  Its been a while since our last articles, we know.

But really - this was just a thing, written so that people who don't get it.. might? At least there was an effort to explain. At this point, I've pretty much moved on... recognizing that some people in your life don't love you, they love their agendas for you.  By the time I was ten, I knew my life was my own --  and I started demonstrating that relentlessly. So I guess I was bound to upset somebody somewhere.  
I'm just sorry how it went down.  

But...  I accept it. 

And really, I'm not sad - as the greater truth remains:  I'm happy with the people I was meant to be with. 

I choose them, because we share an understanding of the heart. I wasn't put here to make other people happy about their own life choices, only to work with my partners on our own shared experience. 

This is my 92nd article. This blog will go to 100 entries, then -- I'm done. Moving on. 
And perhaps  -- something NEW!  Something fresh and more fun!  That's the person I am ... not this 'preachy fellow'...ugh!  That's a thing I had to do for the reasons above. But me? 
Oriented toward the Positive, the Inclusive and the Innovative. 

That's my design. 

---    Circumstance does not make a person, it reveals them.

That's right. For a person with an open mind, there is always some potential to create laughter! To find optimism and understanding in even the most peculiar situations!

I choose that. 

I choose that life. 

Like Marie says in her letter...   over and over again. 

- Charles Dashing.