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Sunday, July 20, 2008

Canadian Resolution

I’ve been neglecting to tell you that I’ve posted more photos from Canada here. Those are all I’ve got.

There was a lot of beauty in the 11 days of this Canadian vacation, from the Parc du Saguenay a few hours north of Quebec City, to the architecture of Quebec City itself, to the hours of driving with mountains flanking one side and wide-open water on the other.

Looking back, though, the thing I most enjoyed was simply spending uninterrupted time with good friends. Those memories are what will carry me through the coming weeks and months of work and school.

To be honest, I was nervous about seeing Jose. Three years ago, I almost moved to Canada to be with him. Since then, I’ve had a nagging feeling that I should have done it. It’s really rare, right, that you meet someone with whom you truly click? Especially in my world, I feel like this is true. There have only been about two people who I feel I could spend my life with. Jose is one of them… But now he has a boyfriend… And we were going to spend a week together… Without the boyfriend.

I was nervous that I would be an emotional wreck, because I can do that sometimes (even if no one else notices). The evening we arrived, though, and met Jose and his boyfriend, Matan, for dinner, I knew it would be OK. Jose was visibly happier and more comfortable than I’ve seen him in the seven years we’ve known each other. Part of that happiness was clearly due to Matan.

At the end of the week, the night before we were to fly back to Minneapolis, Jose and I sat close together, our arms around each other’s shoulders, and talked about this at length. I confessed that I had been apprehensive about seeing him.

“And how do you feel now?” he said.

“I feel happy for you,” I responded. “When I go home, I’ll think of you often. And when I do, I’ll now be able to picture you in your apartment, with your wonderful boyfriend, or with your great friends, and I’ll know that you’re content and that life is treating you well. And, in turn, I’ll be happy with you.”

The thing is, it’s true. I felt like a phase ended, like there was resolution, and in a good way. What better thing is there than being able to think of someone you love and know that they are at that moment with people who they love, and who love them in return? I can’t think of much more that’s better than that.

Posted by Aaron on July 20, 2008 10:07 PM