no day but today

Today is my birthday. Woo hoo. Happy 23rd Birthday to me.... just kidding, I'm not that narcissistic.

I love Thanksgiving.  Wednesday night I got off work at Noon, had lunch with my most amazing friend Stephanie, hung out with my biological family and then met up with 16 of my friends to go see Rent. Yes, 16 of us, I don't know how we managed it, but we did, and we all took up an entire row.

I had never seen Rent before. Like everyone else I had just heard the Seasons of Love song before and I had heard from people who had seen it what a great musical it is. I knew that it was going to be one of those movies that you probably shouldn't tell everyone in the world you know that you liked it, because some (mainly really conservative Christians) would have problems with it because it includes a transvestite, two gay couples, AIDS, a stripper, drug use, etc. Which, I will be honest, a few of the parts in it I could have maybe done without, but overall, I totally, completely loved it.

If you haven't seen it or have any desire to whatsoever, it's basically about (as the song says) a year in the life of friends. It follows their triumphs and tragedies, their darkest moments, their dreams and ambitions, and their fear and how in the end, there is no day but today.

There was so much to the movie that just totally spoke to me... and just that fact that it was so real. So many people in this world live in that reality every single day... coping with AIDS, trying to overcome drug addiction, trying to find love/acceptance... and how the only way some people make it is through their friends. The people that walk beside them, that love them in their good times and bad, that aren't afraid to tell them the truth or who won't be afraid to reach out to them when others might not.

Friendships are so important.

As we were walking out of the theatre, I jokingly yelled, "I LOVE ALL OF YOU!" (in a teary-eyed sounding kinda way). The truth was, I really do. I really, really do. I think that I have some of the most amazing friends in the entire world and driving on the way home (it was 2 AM, Thanksgiving morning!), I decided that the thing that I am most thankful for this year are my friends.

God has blessed me with some of the most amazing people in the world to be in my life. Some I've known forever, some are far away now, others I've just met in recent months, but regardless, I love each and every one of them so much. And it this time my life (and all of our lives) as we are making choices/decisions that are going to affect the rest of lives ~ thinking about careers, what we want to do with our lives ~ we need each other, and every moment we have together is just a gift from God.

My close group of friends (which consists of most of the 16 people that were at Rent) all see each other almost every day and if we don't we're text messaging, or calling or myspace commenting each other. They are all so beautiful. None of us are perfect and none of us have lived the most perfect life. We've all had things we've had to deal with and things we've had to overcome. Some have walked through some really difficult times that I don't know I could have made it through, and yet today, God has brought us all into each other's lives for this time. We've all walked different roads and different paths, but for some reason, God has allowed our paths to cross and we're walking together right now, and I absolutely love it and each and every person who is beside me on this leg of the journey.

Sure, the day will come when more people  will move away, some will get married, have kids and life will carry on and probably lead some of us away... but for now, for what it's worth, I want to treasure every single moment I have with these amazing people. I'm so, so blessed.  I can't forget my family either. I mean, I have two of them... my adopted family ("Family A") and my biological family ("Family B")... I met my biological family and have known them since I was nine. My family is amazing!!!!!!!!! Both of them!!!!

So, today, on the beginning of my 23rd year of life.... I guess I have to say that this year I'm going to remember that there really is no day but today and I want to seize the most out of every single day. I want to love people relentlessly and I want it to be a true love, Christ's love in me, shining and bringing light and life to other people. Tomorrow is past, and I can't dwell on it, I can learn from it, but I can't live in it. I've got to suck the life out of every day, every opportunity, every moment, because who knows about tomorrow. Who knows what tomorrow will bring, but THIS DAY is a gift from God. I've got to make the right choices and the right decisions, think the right thoughts and do the right things and love God, love people and live life to the fullest.

There is no day but today.

Comments

[Tony Myles]

That's like a total song idea, dude... happy birthday!