I met a friend 3 or 4 weeks ago.
I saw her sitting by herself and the dad part of me (even though I’m not a dad) took over so I approached her and asked if she was alright.
She said she was alright and that her friend had gone to the bathroom. I asked if I could sit with her. She obliged, and we spent the next couple hours talking life, anxieties, and other assorted things.
Cut to this past weekend.
She asked if I could drive her and her friend up to where her other friends were camping. I obliged (partly because I’m always willing to help a friend and partly because I wanted to see her again) and drove my friend and her friend up to Ocala, FL to join her friends for a camping trip. During the trip up the conversation was flowing and it somehow landed on psychosis and perception vs reality (which is firmly in my wheelhouse of topics). We discussed those topics for a while and she mentioned a book about psychosis which lead to a discussion about reality and I had a book in mind ready to state when she stated it (it being “The Man Who Mistook His Wife For a Hat” by Oliver Sacks) and all I could say was “That’s the book I’ve was gonna say.”
After a quick break to figure out logistics, we headed back out and covered the remaining miles in around 30 minutes.
A drop off point was established so I drove to that point, dropped my friends off, hugged my friend I met at the bar and shook hands with her friend, and started to head home.
As I was heading out of the strip mall and back onto the main road I felt a squeeze in my chest.
I knew it was a sad feeling, though it took me about 30 minutes to place why I was feeling the squeeze.
At first I thought it might be a bit of guilt because I left my puppy alone on a Saturday afternoon. But that thought quickly resolved into “I took her to a dog park for the first time this morning. I’m sure she’s recovering.” But the more I felt it, the less I thought it was about my puppy.
Then I thought about my friend…. who is leaving the country in less than 2 weeks… and whom I just drove to Ocala, FL (with friend in tow) whilst discussing topics I love and agreeing on all of our points.
And this is where I thought of the phrase ‘kindred spirits’.
“Kindred spirits” being defined (because I love to work off definitions) as “having the same belief, attitude, or feeling”. I feel we could talk for hours multiple times a week and not get bored or cease learning from and about each other.
To my friend whom I’m referencing, I am saying this in a strictly platonic way. I love you and if I don’t see you before Friday, I’ll see you then 🙂
I hope your week goes well,
Marshall
marshalltemmett 