It's been a few weeks since my last confession. Or entry. Whatever.
I spent two weekends ago in sunny Orlando, Florida, where I ran the Disney Half Marathon with one of my best girlfriends. "Ran" is a very subjective term, as we sort of ran/walked it. You have to do that at Disney, I've learned. They have characters along the route with which you can get your picture taken. We stopped around mile 6 - right around the Magic Kingdom - and waited in line to get our pictures taken with Prince Charming and Cinderella. It's definitely different than any other race I've done. While I did it in under three hours, I wasn't so concerned about my time or beating any records. I mean, I had friggin' Chip and Dale cheering me on at the finish. Time? I don't need no stinkin' time.
I did wear Tinkerbell wings throughout the whole race, and I'm most proud of that. S.O. was there to cheer me on at miles 3, 8, and the finish. He even got a movie of me finishing, and you can hear the announcer over the microphone in the background saying, "Here comes Tinkerbell!"
You gotta love that.
On the way home from our weekend, we had a few travel mishaps, to say the least. Long story short, it took us 12 hours to get back to the cornfield. Weirdly enough, that particular day of traveling hell ended up being a good day. Not only did I get to see my Dad - he drove from Jaxvegas to Orlando and BACK to Jaxvegas just to get us on a plane that would get us back home, but I learned something about S.O. that day as well. I learned how the man I live with happens to be the most patient, calm, and accommodating man I've ever known. It astounded me, really. You think you know someone. I mean, you live with them. You share toothbrushes with them occasionally. You witness them scratch their ass when they think you're not looking. You take it all in stride, and you smile at those things. The little things are what make people interesting when all the hoopla is taken out of the daily equation. And, then there are those stand-out little things that seem to shine above the rest. Like a hand on your shoulder when you need it, a pat on the ass when you really need it, or a surprising, "It's all right, hon. We've got some cash, we have credit cards, and we have each other. We'll be O.K." And, with that, your eyes are opened to something you've never experienced before. With that, you realize that past baggage is a powerful drug in shaping your perception. You can continue to believe that life won't change. Or, you can choose to accept the change and be happy that you're where you are. Just like that.
I'm back home in the cornfield now; back in the 20-degree weather. Today was our first day of snow. That beautiful, flaky white stuff (before the gray sludge of February). It's about damn time. I become a kid in a Toys-R-Us when I see the first snow. People in my office think I'm completely mental, but I know that it's just their perception being the opposite of mine. I think when you're raised in the south, snow becomes a hot commodity, so to speak.
They say Disney is the happiest place on earth. While the rollercoasters are pretty fun, I don't know if I agree. Groucho Marx once said, "I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn't arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I'm going to be happy in it." The happiest place on earth?
Wherever I am, whenever I decide.
