It is not that difficult

old friends
Originally uploaded by Cream Couture.

I am sitting in a bus on my way to Helsinki when writing this. I am returning from a visit to my oldest friend and his wife and their superb kids. They live in a smaller city outside Helsinki in a beautiful house with a garden. We had dinner, talked about the state of the world (really, we did) and observed a hedgehog crossing the yard. We could hear only the birds, an occasional car and neighbour's loud children.

As I got on the bus I opened my laptop to write one short work text. I decided to play one of my favourite songs in life, Baz Luhrmann’s Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen). I listen to this song at least twice a month because its instructions for life just rock. Somehow, after being on holiday for a week and meeting my family and all, the following part of the lyrics totally hit me. Yes, this is what it is all about.

”Get to know your parents. You never know when they will be gone for good. Be nice to your siblings. They are the best link to your past and most likely to stick with you in the future. Understand that friends come and go. But with the precious few, you should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle. Cos the older you get, the more you need the people who knew you when you were young.”