Not all wisdom or clarity comes with age… I heard one time “the older I get the lesser I know” I think with me, that’s ‘cause AS I get older I realize there’s just so much more to know, and some of the things I already know, NO ONE needs to know anymore…
Still… as I cross whatever threshold another birthday year gives me, I have figured out one of MY truths… and that’s the fact that there’s a great JOY in Finding, Making, Keeping and just plain HAVING friends…
With my birthday just past, I found I got wishes from folks I haven’t heard from in a long while, just an acknowledgement of “hey one of my friends is getting older, having a b-day, let’s just say HI…” and I have to believe that one thing is so great… One of the supreme advantages I’ve seen to belonging to social media… and ALSO old “media” like the phone, or OLDER like the post office… BUT even when it’s not a significant day of BIRTH with a significant ZERO on the birth year… I realize that having friends can make the most dismal experience tolerable… and the good experiences… GREAT!
Most of the time, I travel to do my job… i.e. that stand-up comedy thing… Seems hardly anyone pays me to be funny at home, so in that travel, despite being in some pretty cool places, being alone in those places is its own kinda burden… a lonely kinda thing. And often I find that other acts are in the same situation… This business seems to allow folks from varied backgrounds to attach simply and get along easily.
This week, I met mostly new people at breakfast… from different corners of the world, but all commonly heading to work for a while… I meet other acts that also are so far from home and far from their loved ones… that finding a friendly face is as valuable as finding a power outlet. And if you play some of the events, ships, clubs, road gigs, etc. ENOUGH you’ll run into some guys more than once…
This week nearly as far away from home as I’ve ever been (on the way to New Zealand) I ran into a Wisconsin pal that I’ve known for years… The catch-up is quick, especially since his show was the day he got on, and I’ve been on a few days before him… Still, I look forward to seeing him perform, both on stage and off (he’s one of THOSE guys…)
It’s one of the best things in my life that laughter, despite being a part of my income, is also part of my day when I’m not getting paid or performing…
Joy/Laughter, Friends/Fun… Don’t cry for me Argentina (uh…. I mean Auckland…) it’s a good week…