Kites, Convertables, and Time with Friends

Flying High:

Paul (my brother) flew a Spongebob kite.
Took a great picture too. 

My friend, Bryan, does something every March that is just beyond cool. He hosts an event called "Airtime." This is an event that brings us all to Swift-Cantrell Park in Kennesaw, Georgia where we can bring our own kites or use one of the $1.00 kites that Bryan brings along with him to share with the kids at the park. The idea is to get as many kites in the air as possible, but, more importantly, to also have fun. 

This year, Bryan hosted two Saturdays of Airtime, and yesterday was the last day. I was on the fence about going initially. A lot was going on at the House of Nettles. Paul and his daughter were in town from Texas. It was the first time we'd seen either of them since Christmas (online does not count), and I wasn't sure what they'd want to do. Luckily, two things were on the side of going-- (1) the weather was super [upper sixties] (2) they were interested in going. We all hopped into the Mustang convertible Paul had rented for the weekend, and with the wind in our hair, we headed to Kennesaw. 

It has been years since I'd flown a kite, but after a little nudging in the right direction, I had a $1 Spiderman (Amazing Spiderman that is) kite riding the air current and avoiding the kite-eating tree. Paul put a Spongebob kite up, while my niece put up a Darth Vader kite and my son, Stuart, flew a second Spiderman kit. I looked around after a few minutes and saw something that was cool. All of us were smiling. It didn't matter that Darth Vader decided to break away and fly without my niece's guidance. It didn't matter that Stuart's kite was bent strangely (it still flew). It didn't matter that my kite often hit the ground before getting back up. The sky was crystal blue and the sun was warmer than it's been in months. 

As I flew and guided my kite, I was struck by how the kite could be taken up by powerful updrafts that I couldn't see, and then dropped hard when those winds stopped. The kite dropped out of the sky many times, but if I took time to pull the string back to me and reset the kite in the wind, the wind would lift it back up and soon it'd  be flying high again.

I was also struck at how zen this activity was for me. I didn't have to do or be anything in that moment. The wind did all the work for me if I just allowed it to. I could have stayed out there all day.

Little Mustang Convertible:

Yesterday was the perfect day for riding in a convertible. The wind was not that chilly and the sun was warm. Riding in the car was a real treat. It's been a long time since I've gotten the chance to ride in a Mustang convertible. I had momentary flashbacks to high school and riding in Ed's Mustang convertible. We'd stuff as many people into that car as possible, including one in the trunk. It is amazing that we never had any accidents or were pulled over.

Something that didn't occur to me as we rode in the sun and the wind and I took in the warmth of early spring, is that I was entering spring after a long, cold winter, which I spent primarily indoors. Usually, I get one sunburn a year, and that's not till April. My skin is not of the pale white variety, like many of my Celtic friends and cousins. I tan easily and get darker as the spring and summer progresses. When we got home, I looked in the mirror, and saw that my annual sunburn had come early. It hurts, but I wouldn't trade what we did for the world. 

Beer with Friends:

My brother and niece left yesterday afternoon, and my son decided to go hang with friends. It was St. Patrick's Day Eve, and my co-workers, Frank and Ashley, asked me to go have a drink with them last night. I'm not a party girl. Not by a long shot. Going out on St. Paddy's weekend isn't my usual idea of fun, but I love Frank and Ashley and Ashley's man, Kenneth, so I agreed to go. If you have a chance to go to Meehan's in Vinings, Georgia, do so. 

It was very crowded last night, and we weren't sure we'd stay, but then Ashley found a table outside, and we were set for the evening. Just as with the kites, I was struck by the simplicity of the act of our gathering. We ate and drank (I think I might have had a bit too much) and talked. Ashley told us that Kenneth had said that he wanted to hang out with her friends (he lives out of town---their relationship is one of the few long-distance relationships I've seen work well). She told him that her only friends were her co-workers. I find that particularly moving. I feel pretty honored that she counts me as a friend, mostly because Ashley is a particularly driven person and she's twenty years younger than me.

So, Your Point?

Yesterday was about friends. I am surrounded by amazing people who make me laugh and cry and think. My inner dialogue often tries to convince me that I am alone or that I can't connect with other people very well. It likes to tell me that I'm awkward and people don't like me. That I'm an acquired taste.

This weekend has been filled with laughter and people I love. My life is more than full of people who, apparently, have acquired the taste of being with me. Knowing that should be enough for anyone. I need to hold on to the zen of the kite and the warmth of sun and the embrace of friends who are there for me, even late at night when I feel sad or lonely.

Y'all have a great week.