My Good, Good Friends

Recently, I've had a bout of bad luck that even my therapist could not explain away. I attributed it to karma, bad luck and those little gray guys from UFO's, but nothing could assuage my fears and anxieties until I realized that I was not the only one with troubles. A very good friend of mine has been having terrible troubles at work, similar to my own, but even worse! She has been going in early, staying late and worrying that her job might be in jeopardy. At least, my day (night) job is not going anywhere. If anything, there could be even more job security for me in these trying times when we can expect more crime, more corruption and more people flocking to prison expecting free room and board. My friend's situation made mine look less troublesome. At least, I know I can depend on my job to remain steady until I choose to leave it.

Another friend of mine has also had some very trying problems both at work and at home. Trying to balance the home life, family and friends against a stressful job where co-workers have been making life harder than it should be for such a good-hearted person. Most of my own problems are self-inflicted. Not so, my friends' problems. It brings to mind the old adage about greener grass, wetter water and slimier slime (depending on what you might find desirable). I find myself reminiscing about happier times as the holidays converge on us, but were they truly happier times or simply times less fraught with responsibility and knowledge? Is it not very true that ignorance is bliss? The older we grow, the more we know, and the more we wish for simpler times when we were a bit more gullible, a bit more adventurous and a great deal less respsonsible.

Like the little hamster's wheel, we go round and round in endless cycles ever hopeful that our next cycle will bring happier days, more sunshine and laughter.

Merry Christmas to all and Happy New Year. Drink a toast to me and I will remember you in my dreams of tomorrow.