You know, as I’m writing this, I am remembering that Big Head Todd song “Bittersweet” and how I should download it again because that CD is probably stuck between the car seats and scratched all to hell.

Today started out great and has hit a sad crescendo here in the middle. I got a fantastic out-of-the-blue phone call from one of my best buds, TK, this morning. She called from Brazil and we got a great chance to catch up and make plans for 2030, when we might see each other again. (Not really, but when you live in Brussels, take a temporary assignment in Brazil, marry someone in Italy and flit back and forth to Colorado, it’s hard.) As we were discussing her upcoming nuptials to a man whose name I can’t pronounce, I started to think about days gone by and about how far-flung my friends are. It’s okay though, because it makes me sound exotic. I like sounding exotic. Anyway, we were talking about weddings, specifically fabulous ones on tiny Italian islands overlooking castles and water, and it made me a little teary. The last time all of my best friends were together was my wedding, and while I can’t afford to throw another party like that one, I wish I could afford to bring them all together – in ONE place – again.

Dreams are nice, aren’t they?

They funny thing about TK is that she’s the kind of person that decides on something and just does it. For example, over the 13 years I’ve known her, she has always dreamed of a wedding in Italy, marrying some hot international guy (preferably Prince William) who would sweep her off her feet and take her all over the world. Look at her now: she’s lived in more countries that I’ve probably ever visited, she’s found herself a good Italian ship captain and she manages to make it all look effortless. If only the rest of us could be so lucky.

After we got off the phone, I left for a farewell lunch for our receptionist, Rose, whose last day in the office was Tuesday. Rose is one of the sweetest people I’ll ever meet, and she has that same can-do attitude. She decides on something and it just kind of happens. Her job with us was taken out from under her rather suddenly, but she decided then and there that it was okay, that she would be fine, and that it’s all good. That attitude was contagious, and today, while everyone else was crying and emotional, I just looked at her and realized that it really is all good. I’ll miss her, most certainly, but being frustrated about a situation like that – one we can’t control and about which we have no choice – is useless.

Before you stop reading here and think Uh, DUDE. It’s YOU. When’s the last time YOU thought something was “all good?” let me remind you that I’m merely following suit.

I’ve decided to strive hard to be like TK and Rose. The ability to set our minds to something, decide that we will do something, or be at peace with something, or that generally things will work out like they’re supposed to, is hard to come by at best. But is it really all that unreasonable to think that I could be like them, too? I hope not.

In other news, I’m finally going tomorrow for my basalt stone massage that I got for my birthday way back when. I’ve been saving it for a stressful week and I’ll be damned if this one doesn’t fit the bill. Then we’ll fête my cousin and his fiancée at a swank affair Saturday night, and then it will be Monday again.

Because it always is.