An Evening with Cultured Souls

More often than not, our millennial hangouts turn into binge drinking, lost conversation, and a night no one remembers. While on occasion these nights prove to be entertaining, making them habitual is wasted time and energy on friendships that do not really evolve into much of anything meaningful. They serve as an escape from reality.   

I do not desire to be an escape in anyone’s life, be it a friend or lover. I want to be able to provide a life with more depth; I want to be someone that causes you to think about things from a new perspective, I want to talk about more than the mundane ins and outs of each day.  I want to know what people are passionate about and what they’re working towards. Authenticity is magic, and when you meet those who are truly content, you know.  Your relationship flourishes and you’re able to share pieces of your life that begin to add instead of subtract. That’s how you know when someone contributes value to you and your ambitions. These are the people who will grow with you. These are the genuine ones.

Last night, my fellow old soul, Rachael, and I decided to do something a little different.  After plenty of time spent out celebrating the holiday season, we decided to stay in and cook dinner, “an evening of culture” as we called it. We made red wine soaked spaghetti, Caprese bread, and brussels sprouts roasted in balsamic vinegar—which were all equally delicious. We danced around in the kitchen to a mix of Frank Sinatra and French music, took selfies of ourselves from every possible angle on a Polaroid camera, and made a list of adventures we hope to embark on in 2016. As I grow older, I’m beginning to see people as they are, which is not always easy. It can be disappointing at times to realize that people you know are really people you knew. People grow apart and move on in different directions in life, for a variety of reasons. Just as soon as someone leaves, we are often presented with a new adventure or person, and I’m lucky enough to have found that in Rachael over the last six months. 

She summed up our relationship best: “Life has brought me a genuine, fun-loving friend, and I am so grateful.”  I love you, Rachael, and I am so, so happy you were brought into my life.  Thank you for being true to yourself. You weave so much value and meaning into my life, as well as into the lives of others.  I honor your authenticity and zest.