if wishes were horses...

So, with brunch this morning, I was going to watch an episode of "Friends" On Demand (sounds like a joke... but it wasn't intended that way - lol).
Instead, I bopped down the line-up to "Seinfeld" and selected the one where Jerry has a softball game that gets delayed because of rain.
Sounds bad, but that was good as he had to go to a funeral for a cousin of his mom (or was it his dad, he can keep up with those shenanigans).
Sounds bad, but it was good, since he felt like the guilt trip his mom would have given him for not being there would have turned into a bone of contention that might get gnawed for years.
Sounds bad, but it was good, as he ended up pleasing his mom with his presence.
Which sounds good, but it was bad because he thought the cousin's ghost put a hex on him and made him lose the softball game.
Which sounds bad, but it was good, as it assuaged his own guilt: he thought his comment at the 50th anniversary dinner for that couple was the factor that killed her.
And what had he said?
"I hate anyone who ever had a pony!"
And guess what?
In Poland, Manya had a pony as a pet, a pony that she absolutely adored, a pony that she still spoke of with love, so she was quite miffed by Jerry's remark and even left the table.
Then, the next day, she's dead of a heart attack and Jerry puts the blame on himself.
So... i thank You, God.
I needed that reminder that I have been taking recent events too much to heart.
I needed that reminder to not take on unearned guilt, this time for fear of what others might think because I'm not in deep mourning about recent deaths.
I hardly knew the guitarist who died last week -
or my high school classmate Joe Kerr, who died in March -
or my high school classmate Lorene (Milledge) Richardson, who died last month -
or my high school classmate Robin (Mixon) Crosby, who died this month.
I hardly knew any of them beyond an acquaintance stage.
They were all people who were on the periphery of my world, folks I interacted with rarely, if at all.
Had any of the classmates attended the reunion three years ago?
I honestly could not say.
They were not friendly to me in high school, so I had not sought them out.
None of them had ever had me over for dinner, nor I them.
To me, that act of inviting another into my haven, or being invited to theirs, is the single-best sure sign of friendship.
That reminds me: I have some folks I regard as dear friends, but I have never been to their house, nor them to mine.
Let's hope this pandemic will eventually pass so I can remedy that situation.
How does that phrase end?
Oh, yes... then we'd all ride.
I think it's time for a drive - I need milk.
My coffee had not a drop of milk this morning.
I can certainly remedy that situation right now.
(smile)