Little Moments

This week has been full of small moments that just made me feel - good.

I was driving back from my parents' house Sunday, and I was pretty deep in thought. Traffic was kind of heavy, so I was paying pretty close attention to the traffic around me. This one car moved over from the lane next to me, and its license plate made me smile. It said, "Namaste."

Tuesday evening I had dinner with a good friend of mine, and we got dessert at the gelatto place in the mall. We were walking back out through Nordstroms, and took the escalator down to the first level, passing in front of the piano. I realized that the old man sitting there was playing "Over the Rainbow" (more on that below) - for some reason, it just made me happy, so I looked at the old guy and grinned. He smiled back with a smile that said "Yes, I understand completely..."

Tonight I was at a minor league baseball game, and this one guy started flirting with me. At first I thought he was drunk, but then I realized that he was actually mentally handicapped. It was an interesting interaction, because on one hand I didn't want to get myself into a sticky situation when he asked me on a date (which I did turn down politely but firmly as I would have with any person I'd just met within the last 2 minutes), and on the other hand I could tell that he just wanted to talk to someone without that person patronizing him. I sat with him for a few minutes and we shot the shit, and then I excused myself. He seemed to enjoy talking to me, and I guess that's what matters...

In other news.

Right now I'm listening to more Eric Clapton, this time *his* cover of "Over the Rainbow." It reminds me of this one time in high school; it must have been junior or senior year. I came in right at curfew one Friday or Saturday night sometime in late October - the time when the trees have turned, and the weather is deeply chilly without being frosty. I'd been out with Katie, Kathryn, Matt, Vicky, and some others in Fairborn. We'd done the traditional haunted house + show at the actor's theater on Main street (your classic 100 or 200 seat theater that puts on a Halloweeen themed play every October...) and I think it was also the first year that I was finally brave enough to watch the electric chair go off at Foy's. In any case, it was a great evening. Halloween in Fairborn is one of those classic, hometown, Apple-pie sorts of events.

I pulled up in the driveway, walked in, and stopped in the living room where my Dad was sitting up, waiting for me. I never really thought about it, but I guess the fact that either he or my Mom was always up waiting for me when I came in really meant something. Dad was watching an Eric Clapton concert on T.V. and was pretty zoned out when I walked in. We greeted each other, and then both our attentions drifted back to the T.V. I stood there watching for 5 or 10 minutes, letting the music stretch out an already awesome night for a few more minutes. "Over the Rainbow" was one of the songs we listened to, and now I always associate it with that deep, comfortable, settled feeling that seems to come out in the fall.

I used to worry that I wouldn't be happy with my life unless it continued in the same way it always had when I was a kid, and unless I was doing the same sorts of things my parents always did. This summer has really done wonders to change that perspective, though. I'm slowly getting my feet down, finding my comfort zone, and coming to terms with the fact that my life really is my own and that it's going to be quite different than what I grew up with. More importantly, though, I'm learning that I'm actually happy with finding my own way. (This relates in some way to the preceding two paragraphs but I can't figure out how to express it...)