12/6/14 Where Do We Dispose The Bodies?

    Eventually, most relationships end.  It is a hard and painful life lesson.  My son just admitted he was still communicating with his last girlfriend when he had "ended" that relationship to us about three months ago.  I know it's hard, I still have a hard time removing people, it is much easier to be cast aside by the other party.  When the other party leaves you, you have an instant "bad guy", it is easy to rally around the rage.  Anger and resentment can build and wane until the person disappears from our thoughts.  I don't have a history of eliminating people, personally, only have a handful of people I've had to tell "I am moving on, without you."  At his age, it is much more common, their tastes in music, life plans, religious convictions all play into who you are going to surround yourself with.
    We tell him it is normal to fall in and out of love, take your time growing a relationship, if it is right, it will last the rest of your life.  If it is wrong, homes will be broken, lives destroyed, children left in turmoil.  Most important, you have to like this person and how they want to be.  We are not all built the same, which is what I am exploring in thought, most of the time. 
    Now he finds himself in Finals Week, getting over the same relationship for a second or third time. He looks a little sick, his best friend also got mad, and they stormed out in a huff, which is deserved because he had denied spending time with the ex.  This is his fourth or fifth girlfriend, the bodies are stacking up like firewood, each of the girls has been lovely and sweet, the problem is just the age.  You're not supposed to marry the girl you meet in high school.
    Saying that though, my wife and I have been together 27 years or so, since Nov 13, 1987.  She is technically my third girlfriend and I her first boyfriend.  We've had our ups and downs, but generally, we are always in sync.  We met my junior year in high school, her freshman year, 16 and 14, respectively.  It has worked, I don't know how, well I do, but you wouldn't believe me, and If I start telling all my secrets, you might become as awesome as me, and that might be a bridge too far for some of y'all.  (I kid)
    The title of this writing refers to all the people, friends, classmates, roommates, lovers, and coworkers.  People come and go, some we miss and think about, what of the others, all the background noise of our youth, one day it's just gone.  I went to school with a class of about 100 kids, today, I could locate 1 or 2.  My roommates at UT and all the assorted people I met.  I loved those guys, we made each other better people, poof, gone in a cloud, as if they only existed in a story I read.  The gals I met along the way, any number of them would have made a worthy partner, I like to think that I have only associated with quality people, all heart, caring, distinct personalities, I miss some of them.
    So it goes Son, life is not that story in a book, where you can close the book and say it is fiction, you must feel life, the crying parts are also good, you will remember the people in fleeting thoughts.  As they saying goes: nobody said it would be easy, they said it would be worth it.