Its ALL about .. love

Ok, I get it.. you are probably thinking "what the f... .. he never writes about positive shit".. Well, sorry to shock you and all but, if you knew the real me, you would know that my insides are filled with very deep caring for friends, family.. even folks I don't know. Despite life being a bitch, and wanting to write about things you really should be opening your eyes to, which is still kind of a love... a love of wanting you to wake up... I've had some great things happen as well.

I tend to not be that "mushy" kind of guy, I carry my heart very carefully and I try to share it with the people that are close to me. And with most of you, we aren't really close close...and.. thats cool.. :) .. Recently I've been having some interesting "off twitter" conversations about something I have a lot of, which is passion. Now, passion isn't just about love or caring... its also very much about things you believe strongly about.

I remember when my daughter Katie was growing up (she's 25 now) and that 'first love' hit her. I think she was about 10 or so... and I often wonder how, as a parent, I would deal with that. You can't deny them the right to believe and you sure can't just say "don't worry, you will get over it". .. I had recalled my first love. A love so real, so deep... it shocked me that I could even feel this way. I mean, I knew nothing about love, other than the family thing. We were on holidays in B.C., and had stopped at a place called White Spot, which at the time was a well known dining chain. I must have been about 8 or so, and Dad and I were just sitting at the counter and I recall eating a hamburger and fries.. And as a typical kid, I was glancing around looking at the other people. A few seats away, a man and his daughter were just finishing up their food, and I saw her face. She had to be the same age and.. I don't know why but... my heart just started to race. I was stunned, shocked.. I'm not old enough to feel or understand love but here I was, going head over heels for this girl I'd never seen before. I almost got up and walked over to ask her what her name was, but I was just glued to the chair and couldn't move. As they walked out the door, I noticed the car they got into had Alberta plates and I wanted to write down the license plate number so that I could some how or another find her. Course, I had no pen and I was too embarrassed to ask Dad.. My heart sank as they drove away, and to this very day I often think about that.

It was this experience that taught me how to deal with Katie's problem.. there was a lot of holding, back rubbing, being compassionate and understanding... and crying too.. And she eventually got over it just like I had done, way back then.

Time goes on, loves come and go, friends come and go.. I still take a lot of pleasure from helping people today and I've found some really cool people in twitter that have helped me in some way or another. Many of them know that of course, and some may suspect.. and of course, there are some that also don't know. So this blog post is about those that I do love, in one form or another. Understand that none of this is about sex! It is all about *passion*..

Please.. don't be angry at me if I didn't mention you. This post would be 400 pages long, and no one wants to read that shit.. And.. I'm not ... singling out (???) anyone specifically... Some of the people I haven't even met (yet) although I hope to at some point. This is about concepts of people, because passion is all about concepts as well.

So to start with, huge kudos to Carol Anne (@dream2screen) and Diana (@DancinginLife)... for the passion and caring about life, food, health... and the gentle way of trying to guide you to being better without bashing your head in trying to do it.

Also big props to Rene and Kari (@Rainyfool @kerimayer) and especially, to John (@lonesomebilydad) for their never ending love of saving and rescuing dogs... Side note to John, I have lots of man hugs waiting for our next coffee... and hush, you like them so...

Recently I've gotten tangled in ... ... with this spunky little girl who is so wildly and madly in love with... floss .. (seriously? Floss??) Anitka (@indrdh). You may have to watch out for her (joking!!!) to come tie you up and do your teeth for you if you don't do them..

Family is important, and the list of family folks and values in my twitter world is pretty much endless. One couple though recently went a little above and beyond. Some of you know my car has been prissy lately.. Well, totally out of the blue Erin (@erinklassen) contacted me and asked if she could help with access to some parts I might need. Her husband Josh (@PureiTek) has a friend with a parts store, and one thing lead to another... Josh picked up a part for me (sadly, it didn't cure the problem but thats besides the point) and was kind enough to deliver it to my door. Neither of these people have met me before. Josh and I had a quick chat and he left. Several weeks later an opportunity came up and I was able to meet Erin, along with a host of other people, at a gathering at the edge of Sherwood Park. It wasn't that far from where I am in Edmonton, and I babied my car to get there and back. It was nice to get out for a bit, something I seldom do in the winter time... and I had a really super great time. A few wine samples, some hugs and handshakes from many... nibbled a little sausage here and there (oh shush!) and took home a little pulled pork on a bun, and a few other chocolate type things. Hey, thanks for that!

Anyway... they say love is a many splendor thing. And I have to agree. And it comes in many forms, some which are more passionate than others but still completely meaningful with all. They also say that it is better to have loved and lost, then to never have loved at all. This can be hard to accept but, it also is very true.

Back in high school, one of my favorites was "If you love someone, set them free. If they come back, then you know they are yours. If they don't, then they never were". So with that, I simply say... to my friends...

I love you. I really do.Your passion in so many different ways, drives me to be better, and you complete me.