"Your mom goes to college..."

So, my parents are here for the weekend!  Finally!  They've been trying to break away from their ties in SLO for like, 12 thousand years to come visit, but now they finally made it happen.  Too much love and wisdom has been shared to really comprehend or document it properly... but I wanted to say... at a minimum...

That I'm in love with my parents.  I know I don't really understand them fully.  I know they are often baffled at my strange thoughts and willingness to abandon reason in search of truth.  I know there is a lot of hurt underneath all of our surfaces.  But I think we're finally coming to a point in our relationship in which I feel like they trust me to live my own life and make my own decisions, and I no longer judge them and whine that they don't love me the right way.  It's taken awhile (25 years) but I think there's a point in the midst of pain in which you toughen up and realize that the problem isn't someone else.  It's me.  All my life I've had two amazing people who bore me into the world trying their damndest to love me and support me, despite my best attempts to thwart them.

They are not perfect.

But they are REAL.

And HONEST.

And compassionate.

And silly.

And frankly, they are some of the best human beings that I know.  They are strong and they are humble.  They are proud and slightly insecure (who isn't?).  They love fiercely.

Happy Valentine's Day, my beloved mom and dad.