I am not sure when I noticed it. <\/p>\n
I mean, we all have friends. They are our friends because we like something about them. I started noticing that the people I love the most all have a gift for laughter and fun made out of nothing. Anyone can have fun doing the extravagant stuff. Just having fun doing nothing takes great people. <\/p>\n
Maybe it was at the beach, hearing Kyle laughing down on the deck from my bedroom upstairs. Maybe it was on the deck with Chelle and Rick, having a glass of wine and watching the sun go down. Maybe it was sitting on Kelly’s back porch laughing until my stomach hurt. Maybe it was playing dominoes while getting texts from Rocky talking about who he has gotten hickies from and sending him pictures of our night so he wouldn’t be lonesome under the stars down in Cali. <\/p>\n
The people I love the most have a facility for taking regular day to day stuff and making it special. They smile and laugh easily. They are willing to be goofy. They draw elephants on your knees. They don’t let you take yourself too seriously because they know who you are. <\/p>\n
The other night I was driving to the neighborhood hangout with the Doctor, and we were talking about how easy it is to have a good time. It doesn’t take much. You just have to notice how good everything is. Really, it’s one of those things that is both simple and easy. <\/p>\n
And then tonight I was feeling a little blue after a great couple of days, and I kept thinking of stuff that is great. Stuff I am grateful about. Are there things that suck right now for me? Yes. Some of it is major. But there are still a lot of things to smile about. <\/p>\n
So a list was indicated. Sort of a prescription, even if the Doctor didn’t order it. <\/p>\n
In no particular order:
\n–People who help you learn things about yourself, even when it’s painful.
\n–Men with perfectly scruffy whiskers and smooth necks who don’t mind if you point out how perfectly scruffy they are to other people.
\n–the magic of a shared bottle of wine, or Jack.
\n–People who can tell the hell out of a story
\n–those people who will take an offhand remark and spin it into an ongoing joke that takes on a life of its own.
\n–People who will tell you how they feel even if they know you won’t like it.
\n–Brothers who let you bring all your crazy friends to their tailgaters.
\n–Parents who buy you yet another Duck t-shirt.
\n–People who just laugh if you throw underwear at them in public. Especially when they have a great laugh.
\n–People who make cookies just for you and put your name on them so no one can steal them.
\n–People who get angry on your behalf if someone is mean to you.
\n–People who cook dinner for you, and keep your glass full.
\n–Starry nights and Adirondack chairs.
\n–Clean sheets and a night cool enough to snuggle into warm covers.
\n–Snuggling.
\n–Surprise visits from someone you love. Or even someone you like.
\n–Planned visits.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"