Funerals and what-not

There's nothing quite like a funeral to make you consider your life, re-adjust your expectations, and perhaps shift some of the value that you ascribe to certain things. Having attended a friend's funeral recently, and finding myself missing my surrogate grandmother and great-aunt (both of whom died the month before), I find this statement extremely poignant and exceedingly true.

In practical ways, I pause more often, stop and stare at nature's changes outside my office window, gallop through the hum-drum to make way for special moments and time shared with friends. I have caught up with more people, and thrown caution to the wind by trying to pick up friendships with comrades from temporal distances.

It's been a fascinating two weeks, journeying through life with slightly more awareness, less patience for time-wasters, and a passion to do good by as many people around me as possible. I have at times appeared more down-hearted, but deep-down, I have understand and recognised my friend's needs and desires slightly more quickly, allowing a swifter fine-tuning and meetings halfway between social gaps.

I tend to be a very temporary person in some ways. I run through life, ticking boxes, accumulating awards, arguing for perceived rights for both those I hold nearest and dearest, and those I see struck down by life. I'm not sure either how long certain changes I undertake tend to last. Who knows what tomorrow will be, or where my next thrill will originate?

I hope, however, to keep things more personal, blog a little more often, and be even more available for those friends who need a shoulder to lean on, or an ear to confide in. Only where the needs arise though; I'm not one to be taken for a ride. I see the lift for what it is quite regularly, and choose to anchor my faith in longer-lasting concepts and personas.