My Life Away From Norway

I wanted to write something about Norway, but I can't. Not directly anyway. The unthinkable evil necessary to bomb a building, then to massacre a bunch of children is so foreign to me I'm having a hard time processing it. So, instead, I'll write about how my day meant more to me that it usually does. It started with watching a movie with a friend, then helping that same friend's brother move. Both things I would have done anyway. However, instead of just doing it because these people are friends of mine, I really took the time to appreciate them. That was a shared moment that we had, just people helping each other out, spending time together, laughing, cursing, and strengthening our human bonds. Love, not romantic love, not something selfish that needed to be returned or paid for in someway, just simple human brotherly/sisterly love. It's a powerful thing.
Then, I went to a birthday party for a guy I've known since I was 9. I met him on the playground at the school across the street from my parents' house. He has CP and all of his friends are "special." I've only missed three of these birthday parties in the years between 9 and now. They're always fun, but last night it was more so. I appreciated the opportunity I had to be in this man's life. The fact that he chose me to be included in his celebration, being selected as one of the few to remain in his life for so long - it's a precious thing. And between the hugs and laughs, and songs, there was love. That same brotherly/sisterly love, the love we're supposed to have for all humanity.
It was an early night, so I decided to visit my parents. Said "hi," and sat on the couch with them and my niece (who was over for a sleepover). We watched Tangled, but that wasn't important. It was just the act of being there, being in the presence of these people who I love and who love me in return. Just their nearness was enough to bring me to tears. My niece said it's only a movie, so it's not real and there's no reason to cry. But I couldn't think of anything more real. Not then, not now.