One year. It’s an odd thing. Well, it’s really not. It passes. Exactly 365 since the last one (not if you’re in a leap year, but whatever). Today, September 21st, is a particularly strange date for me. Three years ago on this day, I stumbled into a Tennessee restaurant/bar with some friends after a movie. The friends invited other friends who invited other friends. It’s how it goes. Well, one of my friend’s friend’s friend’s OTHER friend (4 times removed. We got that all?) sat next to me while I was eating some delicious fried pickles. Mmmmmm……that’s beside the point. Anyway, that friend’s friend’s friend person guy is now sitting in my livingroom. In Chicago. Watching TV. Eating peanut butter. You get the idea. We are very happy.
Not only have the boyfriend and I been together for three years, it has also been 6 months TO THE DAY in which we packed up our old apartment in Tennessee and moved to the Windy City. No one here calls it that, but I do ’cause it’s neat. We enjoy the food, the places, the culture (which sometimes includes dudes peeing on the side of a building), the atmosphere, the people. We have come a long way in these 6 months. And we are pretty satisfied with our decision thus far.
Last September 21st was a whirlwind for me. I lost my nonna. She passed away on the last full day of summer. A teacher at heart and in profession, she used to make me read before I went outside, even if all I wanted to do as a kid was go play in the Philadelphia sun. She never let me chew gum in her house, or eat ice cream before dinner, or do a lot of things which kids generally consider to be awesome. Yet, in all her strict ways, she made me a better person. I love reading and writing. I love healthy food. I loved college. I love learning. And yeah, I love ice cream and lots of unhealthy things. Like chocolate. And soda. And booze. But as a kid, you never think you’ll love those things you once thought were dumb. You never think it’s important. It so is. My nonna paid for my college education. She bought me a car for high school graduation. A CAR. ON A TEACHER SALARY. She loved me and everyone else in my family, even if she had a hard time saying it.
And I am more thankful than anyone could know.
