Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people. - Eleanor Roosevelt



Saturday, May 26, 2007

The one good thing


In the midst of all the turmoil in Iraq, and people losing their lives left and right, it's hard to find a bright side, and even harder to find humanity.

Today, I found a tiny bit of light in the very long and dark tunnel this country has dug itself in to; the quagmire that is Iraq.

It is a very touching story about a soldier who adopted a stray puppy the day before a roadside bomb killed him in Iraq.

Hero, the puppy, was brought to the US to help 22-year-old Army Spc. Justin Rollins' family and girlfriend cope with his unfortunate death.

So many soldiers and innocent civilians have lost their lives in this war, and there is absolutely no good news no matter how you look at it.

The story of Hero, however, is the only story that warms your heart and reminds you that there is still humanity in the midst of all the madness and death. It is unfortunate that people can't be shipped to a safe place, but it's still nice to know that animals are being taken into consideration.

Friday, May 25, 2007

A Blast from the Past

It's so hard to come to grips with the idea that I'm almost the big 3-0.

I've still got a year and a half left of my 20s, and though I don't feel my age, and people always mistake me for someone much younger than my 28 years; there are times when I'm given a visual aid of just how old I really am.

I was at Walmart yesterday when I was hit with a blast from the past. And quite a blast it was... I ran into a guy I'd had an intense crush on 10 years ago. I was barely 18, a Freshman in college and thought he was exactly what I wanted in a man; good-looking, good dresser, carefree and relaxed.

Standing there with my cart yesterday, I was speechless with shock. Judging by his silence, I imagine that he was speechless with shock, too.

The fact sunk in that it'd been 10 years since I last saw this man. Though I was 18 at the time, he was well over 21, and graduating from college while I was just barely starting. It hit me that not only am I older than I was back then, but he's older than he was back then, and still older than me. It hit me that he's well into his 30s.

In place of what I remembered to be a flat stomach, there was a belly. In place of a chiseled and handsome face, I saw the face of an aged, overweight man; still handsome, but not as handsome as I remembered.

Yesterday's incident made me feel two things:

1. I'm old,
and
2. I'm so old, my past crushes are entering the balding and belly years.

The good news is that though I'm very aware of my age, I still don't feel it.