Long Time

Taurus:
There is more on your mind than just having a good time right now -- you are in the perfect frame of mind to seek out substance over sizzle and sass, so go out and get it today! It's waiting for you behind the eyes of that cute stranger you keep smiling at. It's waiting around that corner you have not yet had the courage to turn. It's waiting for you on the other side of a leap of faith. Move past barriers and expectations -- only then will new things come.
Aries:
Instead of focusing on all the things you need to do and the people you need to see today, keep your eyes on the end of the day, when you will have the time you need to connect with someone special (if you want to). Too many details can distract you from what really matters. If you simplify your life, you can dramatically reduce your stress level. This isn't a case of burying your head in the sand -- it's a case of simply choosing not to worry.
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Wow, I was talking to someone the other day about this. Just need to leave it all behind and enjoy the moment for a bit. Like that will happen.
I will be able to get away from the grind this weekend though. It’s the director of NASA’s surprise birthday party in Richmond, VA. I was not planning on attending. Not that I don’t think that it will be fun or that I don’t like any of them, you know that’s not true. I just get into this routine in the winter that I don’t like to travel or change anything. If I went to Richmond I would have to take a night off work and drive 3 hours and enjoy myself and stay in a hotel. Well I was all about ducking out of that when I got this email message yesterday from the man himself:
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• 
  Subject: It’s been a long time
  
  Y’all,
  
  7 years.
  
  I think of you all very often. I have begun to write an email like this before and stopped because I was afraid that it would not have the weight that I wanted it to have. I want to say that my heart is full when I think of what we have accomplished together but, somehow, the words don’t seem enough. I want to say that the best friendships that I have had in my life have come from this endeavor but somehow that doesn’t seem enough. I want to say that when I crossed the finish line with a National Championship I carried all of you with me but that doesn’t seem heavy enough. .
  
  So many times, at the beginning of this thing of ours, I wanted to quit. I didn’t sleep much with the thought of what I had hanging out there. And while it may sound corny the main thing that kept me going, besides my loving and ridiculously supportive wife, was the friendships that were starting to form and the laughs that we had. I turn forty in two weeks and while no one would confuse me with a wise man, I have been lucky enough to realize that the relationships one has is all they REALLY have. I truly wish we all lived closer together. For me, once I had children, I started to look differently at everything. Who and what came into my son’s lives became a very important thing. My life has been inexorably improved by knowing you guys. As a father I want my sons to be exposed to everything good. I want to teach them everything I can but I know that I am limited in my talents and abilities. It provides a warm feeling for me to know that, by being exposed to you guys, they will be exposed to the finest of people with all those good qualities I wish that I had.
  
  I don’t know if it is my place to be proud but I can’t help myself. I am proud of what we have accomplished. It is a good thing that we do and we do it for good people. Over 7 years, I have watched this team take on difficult challenges, weather them, learn from them, and emerge stronger, wiser. I have watched us mature into an efficient and professional symphony. We have something very special and I am honored to know each of you. . I love you guys.
  
  Peace,
  Chris

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Well now, that changed my mind. He doesn’t even know that we’re all going to be there on Saturday. I just know he’s gonna cry, and so am I. I’m so fortunate to have meet these people! I replied back with this:

• Chris,
  I have considered myself a very lucky person to have found you and your brainchild (NASA- MA). You have no clue how NASA, your wife and you have changed my outlook on life and made me grow into this fun loving person I am today. You guys are truly family to me, I look forward to each and every event and can't stand it when I can't make it to see all you wonderful people. Great people like you draw wonderful people to them, and I'm so happy that you called me and asked me to be a trophy girl the week before Hyperfest way back when. You changed my life.
  Thank you,
  [real name] aka Candy Girl aka The Curb

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Just when I start loosing faith.

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In the Media Player: Tom Petty – Learning to Fly