Being one of the fortunate ones

I consider myself one of the fortunate ones.

I realize that statement may entail a world of explanation, so here goes.

That's me in middle in a recent photo surrounded by my friend Bob (on my right) and Gary (on my left). They were both here at our home for a reunion of sorts this past weekend. Bob I've known since I was 15...Gary since I was 10. Bob lives in Albuquerque, about 1100 miles away, Gary in L.A., about 500 miles away.

When you talk about old friends, it is not often that you can refer to 40 years ago...but I can.

We haven't always stayed close in touch. There were stretches of many years when our contact was very fleeting. All three of us managed to meet up at our 20th high school reunion in 1987, then again at our 35th in 2002. On this stretch I hadn't seen Gary since 2002, before that we hadn't seen each other since 1987. But in the last few years we at least emailed each other once in a while. As for Bob, we have been emailing and phone chatting at least weekly for several years now. He came out to California for my daughter Jenifer's wedding last July.

So what does this mean to me? I really do consider myself one of the fortunate ones. Fortunate enough to have a couple of buddies like this for such a long time. Buddies with whom I shared a lot of memories...

Riding our bikes to far off places, playing army in the dirt, building forts in our rooms and spending the night. Celebrating birthdays, barmitzvahs, and holidays. Getting our driver's licenses, working on beat up old cars, and double-dating to Bob's Big Boy. Going camping with my family, watching The Wonderful World of Disney on Sunday nights, and cruising Sunset Boulevard in the sixties. Graduating from high school, listening to the Beatles, and going away to college and the Navy.

That last event capped our childhood...for good. The Wonder Years were over almost before they began, at least that is how I feel about it 40 years later. It was such a great time in our lives...and it ended all too soon.

When you are 14 years old, you can't wait for the next day, for the next milestone or adventure in your life. "Why is it taking so long to be 16? I hate being 15". By the time you reach your 50's, you are wishing time will slow down somehow, so you can savor each moment in time.

I still dream about what the next day will hold in store for me, but with a different perspective now. How can I enjoy what I have and what I am to the fullest? That is how I try to live life now. So, in some ways, I haven't changed much since those Wonder Years. To quote Sheryl Crow, "I just wanna have some fun!"...again.

Regarding my most fortunate relationship with Bob and Gary...that won't end. It will last forever, or at least until we make that final trip to the big playground in the sky. And maybe then, will we be able to ride our bikes to far off places again...or build a fort...or find some new adventure. All those memories are still there.

And, even better yet...how about all those memories ahead of us yet to happen? We are all planning on getting together again for a week at a beach house next Spring.

Hey, we could build a really bitchen fort in the sand! This time, we just need to make sure we are wearing a hat of some sort...so we don't get a sunburn on our bald spots!