inner fire

At different points throughout your adult life, your inner fire will go out.
DON'T WORRY. Spend time with people who can rekindle your inner spirit and don't ever forget to tell them how much they mean to you.

I read that earlier today. It summed up perfectly our dinner out with friends last night.

You are unaware that your "inner fire" has burned down. Then out of the blue, you have an out of body experience and you see yourself laughing and enjoying the moment. You are sitting there having a really, really good time.

It is not easy. It is not just handed to you. You have to work for it, because it is so worth it. You have to bring your A game. You have to use your head and use those big grown up words you know you have in the back of your brain. Sometimes you just aren't called upon to bring 'em out and dust them off. You find yourself in the company of people who are really intelligent and interesting and full of life.

It is a privilege to be in conversation with folks who yes, have troubles or set backs, but somehow have learned the art of setting those aside just for a couple hours and can really be in the moment. You can see their intensity glowing. Being with people like that brings out the best in you. It is not for sissies. You have to look them right in the eye. You have to have all those wires in your brain firing at the same time.

It is a beautiful tennis match right there smack in the middle of a pub. It is a give and take. It is back and forth with current events and jokes, smiles and questions. It is the time honored skill of social grace. When you are in the middle of it, you almost don't realize how lucky you are. It is a moment in time that the television producers would have you believe happens every day to every person.

Life is not like that. Those moments in time just click. You don't plan them. It is not a Hallmark card about friendship. It is a gift. Pure and simple. We all have friends, co-workers and acquaintances that come and go in life. Every once in a while you win the lotto. Somehow the stars align or it is just plain dumb luck, whatever you call it, it is lovely.

You just feel lucky to sit in the middle of an old brick building, order some traditional Fish and Chips with an adult beverage to wash it all down. You don't want to get all mushy. You just sit a little taller, your posture is better, you feel warmer and somehow in the middle of all that you feel safer.

Oh, that inner fire was there all along, it just needed a gentle nudge. Or in our case, a major kick in the *** from a seasoned Marine with salty language, yet you knew instantly a heart of solid fire tested steel.

That my friends is when Grace Happens. When you least expect it. We walked out two and a half hours later standing taller, happier people because the four of us equalled much more than any one of us alone.

I love it when the inner fire lingers into the next day. I feel ready to take on the world. Or at least a little part of it in my corner of the world.

Here's to solid, rare, "I got your back" kind of friendship. Cheers!