An open letter to someone who changed your life...

I'm gonna finish these last three if it kills me.

It probably will not kill me, but it will probably destroy the will to ever again commit myself to a running theme for posts. I know I've been long between posts, but I may need a real long break from the blog altogether. These turned way more personal/mushy than I usually like to be on the interwebs.

Mark,

I'm not even sure how we became friends. I'm really not. Of course, we were in church, young mens, and scouts together, but I'm certain we weren't real friends through most of that experience, because I didn't really have friends at that age. I am really ok with that. I've never really held on to those things, except to occasionally think to myself that if I now encountered the young me, I would feel very sorry for the little guy. He kinda let other people dictate the terms of his existence. I was small, if not downright runtish, until the end of the 8th grade, and while sometimes, I hung out with skaters and stoners, I wasn't really included as a part of anybody's group until I started to hang out with you and Joel in 9th grade. Since I'm not sure how we started hanging out together, I'm not sure if you're actually someone who changed my life, or someone who was just there while I changed it for myself. Probably a little of both, and it probably doesn't matter much, anyway. We hung out that first time and don't think we never really stopped until I left on my mission.

I have lived away from "home" now for more than a decade, long enough that Boston feels more like home than Mesa... So after 2 years on a mission, 5 years of college/work in Utah, and 5 years in NY/Boston, most of my friendships (of which there are now hundreds) are with people you've never met. Still though, I think I know probably 8 of the 20 most favorite people in my life through you. That seems pretty significant. I miss you and the gang, and I know am really terrible at staying in touch with you. So much of my life has been elsewhere for so long. But every time I come home I feel as welcome and as appreciated as always. You're a huge part of that, so thanks from the bottom of Mooney's happiness pie.