The Nicest Compliment or Small Snippets of Life

If you know me from my tv.com blog you might remember my very good friend Joe. My co-worker and friend who very nearly saved my life a few years ago. Today I was telling him about some of the weird people I've met on Xbox Live. The two of us have played a few things together on Live but he doesn't do Uno. As I was talking he suddenly looked up at me and said, 'Darrie, you're glowing.' Of course our other friend Dagmar overheard us and chimed in, 'yes, you look beautiful.' *so now I'm blushing* Joe's reply was, 'No, she always looks beautiful... today she's glowing. I've never seen you this happy.' Joe's seen me at my absolute worst physically, and he still calls me beautiful, but to hear him say something so purely kind is extremely touching.

I went back to my desk and thought about what happened yesterday to cause me to glow. Partly my friend Riley is responsible. Riley is probably the most wonderful young man I know, second to my son. No offense Sweetie. He's been having a bit of a spot lately and we were talking about it yesterday. When I say I wanna take this kid, bring him out to Long Beach and introduce him to any number of wonderful girls, I'm not kidding. He's just fantastic. So we were speaking about people and how they tend to judge a book by its cover, how sometimes you've gotta let something go even if it hurts you if it will make someone else you care about happy, and how sometimes you've just gotta put yourself out there.

I know... this is me giving him advice. It was just a few days ago that I was ready to retreat. Yet just how I said it before, I will say it again - all it takes is someone to remind you of the person you truly are and you can get through most anything. I was hoping to do that with Riley. I can only cross my fingers that I helped him even in some small way.

Talking to Riley made me realize that I'm not a person who holds back when I really want something. It's been a while since I've really wanted anything, but I have physical proof that life is too short not to go after what it is you want. Things I can't even begin to get into with you all, as much as I love you, have influenced me over the years. So I took a step last night. For me, a pretty big one. And heck I feel pretty good about it. Mind you, I was feeling a bit daring in my Vicodin induced haze. Yet I know I wouldn't have done anything differently without the 'help.' Sometimes you've just gotta put yourself out there, take a chance, and face rejection. But like I always say, I'll take friends only any day over losing one because of awkwardness.

Some time after my conversation with Joe I got an email that had this message... I think it's truly fitting to everything that has been happening lately. Here it is...

God doesn't give you the people you want, He gives you the people you NEED-
To help you, to hurt you, to leave you, to love you and to make you into the person you were meant to be.

I'm not a religious woman, but those words have hit home, especially now.

As always, I love you all. Treat people the way you want to be treated... until they screw with you, then kick them in the teeth and call your lawyer. :P Maybe tomorrow I'll give you another survey, Riley seemed to get a kick out of that last one.