Tramping and Stomping and Such

Pivot:  Something or someone having a paramount significance in a certain situation.

Tell me more about this "certain" situation.

In retrospect I see that my trip back to my home region was a huge pivot point in my life.  Well, maybe not huge - but pretty big.  Larger than small but not so large that it's monstrous in appearance.  Anyway, I was moving in one direction and then I changed direction.  At this point, obviously, I was moving in a totally different direction.  Not radically different, but the direction change is definitely noticeable.  You can see it from pretty far away.

Funny how many varieties of pivots that there are.  I was able to re-establish myself in a few relationships of long-standing importance to me.  I love the friendships that spring back into shape immediately despite long absences - these are real friends and I treasure them.  The kind where you feel like you're continuing a conversation that began yesterday, as if years and years hadn't passed.  Sometimes we need to see people face to face, I think.  Even a voice over a phone wave isn't enough - the person has to be seen and touched, but not torched.  

These were powerful, strengthening experiences for me.

I saw some people and was able to confirm a status quo in those relationships.  You know, sometimes we're just done with someone or we see that a comfortable, agreeable distance is fine.  This is okay.  We don't have to be best friends with everyone.  Relationships can fade away without leaving a sour taste in your mouth.  They were good and now they're in the rear view mirror.

I made a bunch of tramps through old stomping grounds.  I enjoyed the memories and was pleased that all of the tramping made me even more certain that where I am is where I'm meant to be.  No regrets.  I've moved into another phase and it's a good one.  This is tremendously reassuring as was the joy I took in reliving past memories associated with the tramped upon places.  These places were good and appropriate for the time and now they aren't and where I'm making memories now is really very nice.

All of this moved my brain around in a good way.  It wasn't as if I was walking in the weeds far from any path - more like I was wandering down a path slightly oblique to the one I need to be on, and now I'm on that path.

Pretty cool.