Allies and Enemies

Spring Break is over. Four very crushing words. Summer is almost here. Amends are made.

I'm surprised that it's mid-April and the weather still clings to the 30s. Thankfully the snow is melted (for now), but the frigid air lingers from the winter. My mind once drifts to what I have previously said about vacations and the purpose they serve: To give one time to breathe, but also to remind one to be thankful for the life they have.

Over spring break I took a much needed trip to New York. As lost and confused as I was in the city, it felt quite familiar. The sights and sounds, aromas and memories were stirred up and truly felt like I had just been there days before I had arrived. Despite the respite, I was eager to get back home to Chicago, to true familiarity.

So now I'm back. It's Sunday, which means Monday looms just around the corner. In less than 24 hours I will be surrounded by the chaos and furor as if no time has passed - ah sweet familiarity.

Time, it seems, is our closest ally and our dearest enemy. It continues to push forward, with the past in its wake and the future on its horizon. It brings us closer to relief yet further from comfort. Even now as I set my sights upon the 8 weeks until summer, I know that even that will have an expiration date, like milk sitting in the fridge, waiting to be used. But like the old adage says, when life hands you almost-expired milk, make a green-garlic and parmesan cheese souffle.