This and that...

Today I realized that I am no longer in the stage of my life where I own one box of cereal at a time...but I am still in the place where cereal, soy milk, and salad seems is an average and acceptable dinner.
Ahh, how things change. I'm up to three boxes now. I may or may not be hoarding.

On a completely different note- I was thinking a little bit about relationships. I picked up this book at Matt's place yesterday by a somewhat local (Christian) author. In this book, the author talks about his life and his work with the marginalized. In the forward and throughout the book he mentions his wife- as his partner, his support, someone he prays with, raises his children with, etc. I knew picking up this book, that the author had split up (maybe divorced?) his wife. I couldn't help think about this as I read the book. What struck me, was at the time of writing, it seemed, from the book anyway, that this couple was doing great things in their life and marriage. Working together with those who are forgotten by society, praying, living. I was reminded that we can never take our relationships, whether they be intimate partnerships or friendships, for granted. We cannot let things coast in neutral. A relationship is a little bit like a car. Put it in drive, with fuel, proper maintenance and care, it will run. But if you shift the car into neutral, and fail to be mindful and persistent, the car will eventually come to a stop. It may roll for a while in neutral, depending on the external variables, but when faced with a challenge like a hill, the car will ultimately stop moving forward.
Reading stories of couples that seem to have it all together and then brake up years and years into their marriages scare me. But it also serves as a gentle reminder to take nothing for granted. Especially the people who mean the most to us. While I am not married, and cannot really KNOW what it's like in the experiential sense, I do know that the fruit of growing with, wrestling with, stumbling with, loving with, hurting with, laughing with, crying with, searching with one person forever is priceless. I heard a good quote once saying " If you knew what you were getting into by getting married, you'd never do it. But at the end of your life together, you'd never have it any other way. That pretty much says it. We will always marry the wrong person. If we were to marry the right person, we'd have to marry ourselves. Because, unfortunately, the human condition has us almost instinctually try to meet our own needs first. No wonder it's a struggle!

Finally...

I want to send a HUGE happy birthday to my INCREDIBLE and BEAUTIFUL friend Kim.

Kim, you don't even know how great you are- which is one of the qualities that makes you so amazing. You've shown me more about friendship than you'll ever know.

I am so HAPPY that you were born. Today I am celebrating YOUR life. You bring so much beauty into the world. 

I love you!