Down South
I'm in North Carolina for the Thanksgiving holiday. I landed in Raleigh, NC (rhymes with dolly, not alley I've now been told over and over again) and immediately took a trip south to Sunset Beach at the southern coastal tip of the state. After a day of friends and friends' family, we're taking the trip back up to the northern corner of the state through a sightseeing route of museums, aquariums, and of course, shopping.
I'm in North Carolina with my closest friends from college, whom I've known for over the past 11 years. We literally started college together, living in the same dorm, and ever since, have been bonded together. They both know all about my very active life and have been substantially supportive of me as I transition(ed) from a person who was uncertain about his potential to the self assured and better adjusted person who can actively engage his sexuality.
Well, I do keep telling myself that.
As we reminisce on the past and evaluate the present, we all have changed so very much from the idealist naive bundles of energy and nerves that we were as Freshmen in college to embittered jaded hulks of exhaustion that we have become almost 12 years later. Somehow, through that transition, we have developed deeper, more meaningful relationships with each other and have certainly come closer together emotionally over the years. Back in college, we were subjected forced proximity. Now, our friendship and continued reliance on each other is by choice and habit, and both are integral to my life. They are my family, and even though there is no blood relation between the three of us, I am more loyal and devoted to them than I am to blood.
My loyalty to blood is legendary, so that's really saying something.
And while we have changed so significantly over the years through aspirations, political identity, differential education, acceptance and tolerance of others, acceptance of self, self-confidence, and choices of association - we are still bound to each other. It means so much to be known as 'family' to them, as they are for me. While my self-confidence is generally more defined and solid in general, I'm always concerned if I presume too much with them, and am so delighted when I'm reminded of their affections and respect for me. These are the warm fuzzy feelings that are so embarrassing by being simultaneously too egotistical and humbling to mention.
Sentimentality over such things; I revel in it.
We're all still young and we're all still trying to figure out what we want to do with the rest of our lives. We three have all settled into our careers, and all three of us are looking at the great beyond and discussing with each other, "It would be better if..." and "I should be doing that versus this instead". Strangely, we are all simultaneously standing on the precipice, just a hands-breadth away from the choice that will change our careers, change our lives. I think that it won't be the too distant future when the three of us will muster up the courage to jump into something new, but none of us dare jump alone. We just have to clasp our hands, count to ten out loud, and then say "Jump!"
I'm a gay man in Reno, Nevada. I started blogging to keep a record of what I've been up to away from home. My boyfriend is
an unrepentant asexual, and celibacy through monogomy isn't an option (and I was celibate with him for over a year). I'd like to be monogamous,
but it just isn't working out.



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