Party of Nine

Originally uploaded by doniree.com

I could wax a little philosophical on the metaphor that this Independence Day was for me. But I won’t.

Ok, maybe I will a little.

A year ago, it would’ve frustrated me somewhat to be in the position I was in tonight. Number nine in a party of nine. Literally surrounded by eight of my closest friends – four guys, four girls – all paired off at various levels of togetherness.

Two are engaged. Two are married. Two have a 5-year old. The others have been dating all head-over-heels-like for nearly a year now.

A year ago, I’d have had an internal pity party. I’d have tried to talk myself out of it, but I’d have felt like something was missing because I also wasn’t leaning into the arms of a manfriend, romanticizing these overhead explosions.

This year was different. And maybe after my last dating experience, I’m a little jaded. However, I’m happily beginning to see that wear off a little finally.

So would I have loved to have had strong arms to fall into while watching the fireworks? Of course. Did I think about that for longer than three seconds? Not at all.

Instead, I sprawled out in the middle of love – in the middle of close, close friends in example-setting relationships – and I reveled in it.

I giggled once or twice I was so damn happy.

I watched the show completely mesmerized by the lights and the sparkle. I tried to comprehend how I was SO lucky in this moment to be exactly where I was and exactly right then.

I’ve made a big deal out of this being a turning point of a year for me, and it has on so many levels. I made the comment recently to my cousin-in-law that I was worried that this bubble would burst sometime, and he assured me that it would. I resolved then to ride it out as long as it lasted appreciating every single second.

Tonight, I bathed in it. It wasn’t about being single or attached, it was just about BEING in the right moment at the right time with the right people. Tonight, I let fireworks and sparkles and explosions and love and laughter and a BEAUTIFUL Minneapolis night fall all around me.

Wherever you are, be all there.

And right now, I am ALL here.

*American Flag Brownies made by my girlfriend, Lindsay. And yes, they were as amazing as they look here.

Tagged as: 4th of july, fireworks, Holidays