Until We Meet Again

I've been a REALLY good mood lately. Just, genuinely content, and happy, even when the day doesn't go so well. And it has a lot to do with my trip up to Texas and Arkansas. I got to see all of my family (the relatives I'm close to anyway) I had a blast with my friends in Texas ( I've only met them twice. When i left this second visit, I felt discontent with it, but that's because I had a few issues that weren't resolved. Now that they ARE resolved, I can confidently say, the second visit was the best. On the first visit, I met them because I kinda crashed a party that they had been planning for themselves for weeks. I had a blast, but the people came that time were people were going to come anyway. This time, the people who wanted to see me came. The people who didn't want to see me, didn't have to come. End of story) In Arkansas, I had a wonderful time with both my friends and the chiggers (AND TICKS). I kicked butt at Foosball, swam in the icy depths of the swimming pool, (Three times. I don't learn quickly) broke my friend John's heart (a CANDY one, not the real one) and skipped through a field of flowers. See, here's the thing. I'm extroverted. that means I get my energy from the people I'm around. And homeschooled. that means I'm only really ever around my intimidate family. And believe it or not, that energy gets stale, like rebreathing the air around you. Trips like these, visiting, and having fun with my friends for extended periods like this, I don't get that very much. I see some of my friends twice a week. (but only at certain times of the year) Most I see every two months. The rest I see twice a year. I LIVE for weeks like this. Stuff like this charges my batteries. And this trip was a super long, concentrated IV of social energy. Even when I was done socializing, I socialized with my friends in the dorm. Because making gay jokes and pulling admittedly slightly mean pranks is THE most refined form of socializing. It's all put me in the best of moods. I'm happy, alert, and wittier than ever before :p. But seriously, I feel like my mind has been sharpened. But even with all of that, over the past week, I've had this feeling at the back of my mind that's been bugging me. Something I wanted to do... I tried feeding my known addictions. I'd sit down at my computer, and realize, "no, I don't want to play any of these games." So I tried MORE internet. More internet is the solution to everything, right? And while I had no argument with sitting down and watching YouTube videos of cats getting stuck in venetian blinds, it wasn't what I wanted either. I needed to check my Facebook notifications!! But that wasn't it either. What was it? It wasnt damping my happiness, It was like... Taking your favorite hoodie off. Your not COLD you don't NEED it.. you just like the way it covers up your exposed arm. you feel more... Complete while wearing it. when you take it off, a part of you says "Nooo, let be be caressed by the delicate cotton fibers once more! I feel EXPOSED." And this is going to sound silly, but one day it hit me. I missed my friends. What?? I thought you just told me how important they were to you and all of that! how could you NOT KNOW you missed them??? And the answer is simple. Usually, I feel down when i leave my friends. I get a little depressed finding myself back on my own. And I focus on the sadness, and use my missing them to fuel that. But recently, I've become more independent. I grow sad when I leave them, and then I brush myself off and say, "Until next time." I guess you could say I've matured. But this was my first time leaving them and feeling that way. Because you see, the problem was that I assumed that since I didn't become depressed, there was no sadness to feel. And its true, missing someone is a sad feeling. goodbyes are sad things. But this has taught me that you can experience sadness while still being happy. I can live without my friends, and I can be happy without them. but DO miss them. So.... Until next time :)