Gone are the days when I’ve relegated myself to the third row. I don’t regret anything I’ve done in my life because every step I made turned me into who I am today. But I do have some wishes. I wish I would have taken more chances, made more mud pies, rode more roller coasters. I wish I would have listened to that doctor and gone to medical school. I wish I wouldn’t have tried so hard to fit square pegs into round holes. I wish I wouldn’t have been so afraid.

I told Mr. Virgo once that I wish I would have met him in my 30’s. He said, “No, you don’t. You wouldn’t have liked who I was then.” And, he’s probably right because I don’t think he would have liked the 30-year-old version of me, either. There’s a reason we met when we did…it was the right time.

I had dinner last night with one of his cousins and her husband. We had never met in person. I’m not even sure we have ever spoken on the phone, but we have been Facebook friends since Mr. Virgo died. They were traveling through Denver and asked me to dinner. As I sat in the car waiting to go in, I found myself getting a bit emotional. I didn’t know many members of Mr. Virgo’s family and this was a blood relative so it seemed special…this physical connection. We laughed and told stories and I learned more about people he had spoken of. I had a great time and I’m really glad I went.

Yes, gone are the days of third row seating. You’ll find me up front from now on.

❤

“Then Laban said to him, “You are my own flesh and blood.”…

Genesis 29:14