Love Plus One

Whether I choose to believe it or not, there really has been a whole lot of good to come out of my unemployment.

There’s... and of course.. and who could forget...

Ok, but seriously folks.

There is nothing more special or important than the opportunity I have had to spend the quality time with my family.

I'm sure they are tired of me, but they realize I am fragile and they won't say it.

Perhaps my most lasting memory of this most miserable episode will be this blog.

It has connected me with so many wonderful people I have never met and re-connected me with so many lifelong friends I had lost contact with.

When I started writing this blog, I really planned on keeping it to myself.

I’m not sure if I was insecure about the quality of my writing or embarrassed of what my life had become, but after a couple of entries, I started changing my tune.

Not only was I proud of the way I was writing, but I was really proud of what I was writing.

To quote the great Canadian poet Bryan Adams, it was really coming straight from the heart.

So satisfying in fact, that I started notifying my closest of friends.

I guess I figured that they were the ones least likely to pour Morton’s salt in my jobless wound.

Well here we are three months later and I’ve pretty much opened the flood gates. I guess I still have an undefined level of scrutiny of who I will or won’t tell about the blog, but those rules are getting shorter.

My most recent invitee is one of my oldest friends, in years of friendship, not years of life.

Jon and I go back to grade school.

I remember spending many a day at his home.

On weekends, after school, pretty much any time they would take me.

Unfortunately through the years Jon and I have gone in separate directions, but through the magic of Facebook, we have been reunited like Peaches & Herb.

And it feels so good.

Jon is a very successful businessman with a wonderful family.

Well, I’m assuming they are wonderful because they look wonderful in his Facebook pictures.

I look forward to the day where we can all get together in person.

It had been a while since we last traded messages, but I think just knowing that he is one click away has a certain comfort level for me.

Jon sent me a note yesterday to tell me that he ran into a mutual friend of ours.

I replied by telling him I’ve been unemployed for 16 months and am now writing a blog on it.

Am I a bucket of sunshine or what?

Today he replied back. I hope he doesn’t mind me sharing.

So I saw your email this afternoon...sent 3:16... I picked it up at 4:11.

(I know that because I had to race home to meet the Comcast cable guy that was coming between 4 and 6)...

by the way, its 6:40 and he/she is still not here.

I went to your blog....and for the last 2 hrs and 40 minutes read every entry and response.

WOW!

For the record, in my book you are a brilliant writer. I have a hard time focusing when I read, which is why I don't read much. My wife, on the other hand, starts a book and doesn't put it down till its done.

Fortunately, my kids got her reading genes.

I read your book, er blog, cover to cover. Not because I know you but because it connected...it was real...and it was powerful.

Best 2 hr and 40 minutes spent in a long long time.

But now I have to take a leak!

I had to leave that last line in to confirm the closeness of our friendship.

He went on from there and ended with “tell me how I can help and I will in any way I can.”

Jon, you already have.

I gotta be honest with you, I don’t ever get tired of being told that I am loved.

There are a lot of different ways to spread the love.

Phil and Mark usually end a call with F-U.

Well, that's the abbreviation.

David likes to use the L-word.

My mom waits for me to say I Love You so she can say I Love You MORE.

I guess that’s our version of Who’s on First.

No matter how you package it, I’ll take it.

Jon, thanks for the love.