#67 Musings Beyond the Bunker (Wednesday June 23)
Good morning!
As you may know, I often have said that I made all the friends I need, believing one doesn’t make friends later in life. That of course has been proven untrue, as some of those to whom I am closest I met in the last ten years. This is proof that life is a journey full of surprises—both good and bad. In this case, good!
Some friendships became deeper through COVID. One of the things I’ve set out to do through these Musings is to develop conversations with friends about myriad issues about which we share experiences, beliefs and ideas. I endeavored to maintain contact friends and to reconnect with people with whom I haven’t stayed in touch. Among those with whom I have reacquainted are friends I haven’t seen in decades, people who have taken the time to make meaningful and profound observations on any number of topics. I’ve relished the connections reestablished and regret whatever it is about life that caused us to drift apart. I’m happy you’re back in my life.
But the most curious thing is that, through these Musings, I’ve made friends with people I’ve never actually met. I’ve been arguing politics and policies with Marc Rosenbach, which discussions increased during the pandemic and through the Musings. Marc would copy his brother. Then one day his brother joined the conversation (and he hasn’t stopped since). He started strong, with a multi-page response to a Musing. Now, we “speak” via email at least once a week. Yet we still haven’t met.
Who is this guy and what motivates him to send me long dissertations on nearly any topic, often agreeing but sometimes taking me to task? Alan is my “mystery pen pal.” I think we each have found a new friend with whom to think, reconsider, and argue. Now that the pandemic is in its closing throes, I look forward to meeting in person. As opposed to separations in old relationships that will quickly be remedied by getting together; this will be one that began organically in the pandemic, awaiting an in-person meeting. I feel the pandemic has confirmed to us that it is, indeed, the inner person that we most admire in each other after all. Is physical presence welcome but not required in order to have a meaningful relationship?
I hope that one of the lessons of COVID is not lost, namely, that it is not the physical presence of friends or even the experiences we share with them that we most prize. Rather, it is, as Dr. King reminded us more than fifty years ago, “the content of their character.”
Have a great day,
Glenn
FROM THE ARCHIVES