Twenty Years Isn't That Long
Mirrorpix. Getty Images.This will be a bit ramb-ly and I sat on this headline all day but I've very much come to the conclusion that twenty years is not a long time.
I used to think as a kid when my parents or teachers would say "We've been friends for tewnty years" or " I've been teaching here for tewnty years." It was literally forever. Think about it, at the time i was alive for what 8 years? 10? That was double my life for goodness sakes. I couldn't get that out of my head the thought of doing something or knowing someone for twenty years. Now I sit here a 37 year old man and I'm leaning real quick 20 years happens in a flash.
I've had friends now for 20 years, shit I've had a select few for 30 years. None of those relationships feel like that long. In 2004 I was 17, it feels like 10 minutes ago. In that time i've lived in 3 different states, worked more jobs than I wished, and gotten married, yet all of it … I mean all of it feels like 5 minutes have passed.
I'm in no way looking for sympathy nor know exactly what I'm trying to say other than I thought forever the "time flies" quote was bullshit until today. Yes a TV Show named Entourage which has a line exchange from characters arguing of getting a dog and going to Vegas, of "Could you get laid with Vince? "Do I give a fuck that's the answer" in it's pilot, but that's besides the point,
It made me realize that everything I thought was important in 2004 has literally no bearing in my life. Prom dates, who broke up with who, hanging out in the park, results of high school basketball games, AIM conversations I thought were important … none of it means shit. What I also realize is the friends you make in that time from from 17 on are a special breed. We were all dumb, we were all broke, we were all stupid yet some of them are still here 20 years later still together, still hanging out, and still friends. I guess you get reminded in those times that at the risk of sounding cliche … it's whats on the inside of a person that counts.
The other thing that silly little show made me realize is if the last twenty years flew by … I'll be 57 in no time.
I wrote this a year ago and it still rings true.
Every time I read that I tear up. It reminds me somewhere in the bullshit of everydayness of life between paying the mortgage and emptying the dishwasher, there's a phone call you can make to a friend who makes you laugh or knew you when you were young and dumb enough to not know how to empty a dishwasher. You can always make time for an old friend.
In no way am I saying to be the guy trapped in high school or college glory days who never grew up, that's unhealthy plus no one likes that guy, what I am saying is somewhere on the map of life through all the winding roads, pitstops, flat tires, crashes and exit ramps to where we each end up individually it's okay to look back at the road that got you there. Pull out a photo album, take a drive and tell yourself a story that still makes you laugh, or call a friend just to say hello … hell you been friends for 20 years, it will be like you never missed a step.
Cherish everyday … time really does fly.