Moving on up...

I have a friend named Jarred who I have known since we met at the bus stop on the first day of kindergarten. We grew up on the same long street in our town and his mom used to send him to walk up the street and knock on my door and pick me up and then walk me back to the bus stop (the bus stop was in between our 2 houses).

I was always a sucker for a gentleman, even at age 5. We’ve remained friends to this very day, experiencing varying levels of closeness over the years, but I think that whenever it’s possible to do so, we always come back to the people who really count and those who are comfortable and close.

Jarred has experienced a lot of restlessness over the years. I can’t say that I’ve ever really understood it because I am much more of a “bloom where planted” type and he is much more of a “looking for the next big thing” type. Jarred has had many jobs over the years, none of them ever in corporate America—until now.

He announced to me last week, via a text message no less, that he has accepted an advertising job in South Orange, NJ. It gave him 3 weeks to find an apartment for himself and his 2 dogs, relocate his entire life, and put his townhouse on the market (for those of you keeping track, this is indeed the very same townhouse that was featured on the short-lived television series “Design Invasion,” where Jarred’s dad and I were the accomplices in “surprising” Jarred and redecorating his home in one day. I have the tape of the episode in our “life archives” if anyone still never saw the show the 20 times it aired on Fox).

We spoke at length this weekend and he has found an apartment in Montclair. He had a garage sale on Saturday! He starts moving this coming weekend. His house is on the market as of a few days ago. Everything is happening and happening fast. He is excited but also nervous, of course. He asked me to come visit. Of course I will—I have a feeling I might actually see him more often now that he is moving farther away.

I give him a lot of credit for making such a significant change in his life—new job and moving, that’s two huge life stressors at once! It’s funny for me, because of all my friends I thought I would be the one to move away—I never thought that I would wind up living in South Jersey on a permanent basis after college. Please, and not only do I still live in South Jersey, I live in the same town that I grew up. Out of everyone, I wound up being the townie! Well, for now at least. Who knows where life may take me, right?

Jarred always was a risk taker to some degree. In some areas he succeeded and in some he didn’t, but he always steps up and tries, and I admire that in him. I need to take a cue from him. Everyone please keep Jarred in your prayers as he prepares for this big life change—that God guide him in his endeavors and keep him safe.

One random thought as I close: Trish shared this tidbit of info with me today via e-mail. At three minutes and four seconds after 2 AM on the 6th of May this year, the time and date will be 02:03:04 05/06/07. This will never happen again..