I was given permission to accompany Anthony on a short trip to Loma Linda this past weekend, so now, within the past few months, I've seen old friends in the four corners of the States:  Seattle area, Collegedale, Berrien Springs, and now Loma Linda.  I gotta say, I think Loma Linda may be winning in number now?  It's pretty amazing to me how many folks are out that way.

Sabbath lunch was a nice get-together.  Everyone was happy and, I think, kind of satisfied to have all the people around them that they did.  We were all enjoying ourselves.  And then some part of my brain and body that I am not always able to control decided to burn poor Janelle's arm with one of those long red fire starters before I knew what was happening.  She knew what happened though, quite clearly.  That event set me back to the hermit stage for a long time, and I'm sure the effects are not over.  Nevertheless, Janelle is a trooper and friend and I think she forgave me and will be fine, so I was able to enjoy the rest of the weekend in spite of myself.

Now that I've graduated and been away for several months, it's been interesting seeing friends.  Everything's different of course, and not just dependent on me.  I'm certainly able to verify that I am progressing much more slowly than the average acquaintance in basic knowledge and practical skills of living on earth amongst humanity.  This is somewhat discouraging, but I am impressively impervious to any inspiring or motivating qualities this realization may carry.

Sitting at the table here, still with a banana to finish in order to complete my meal, and with Anthony already having scarfed down his meal, had a couple or three conversations with co-workers, and run somewhere else to work on something else, it occurs to me that I really do take life more slowly than the next person.  I wonder if this is a quality that will come back to bless me in, oh, say 40 years, but until then, it doesn't seem to carry with it any noticeable benefits unless I'm unemployed, at home, with just the cat for company.

Is growing up worth it?

PS:  Interestingly enough—to me anyway—we didn't take a single picture this weekend.  That's a curious evolvement.