Real Friendships are never ending

This evening I had the pleasure of speaking to another friend. I guess I am catching up with some of the people that are important and have been significant to me. Rick is a chap that I grew up with in New York. He is of Italian decent, the entire neighborhood was for that matter with the exception of a few. And I received and email from him last night.

I called him and he lives in some small area – I forget the name as he has lived in Orlando for years, but things had went wrong for him financially and he lost his house and as well his job. He moved in with Lisa his sister and we talked for nearly two hours.  We talked about so many things. Rick was born into wealth, his father owned a company called Empire Pipe Line and the only problem that happened was that his father left the family and went off with his secretary. I remember it so well as Rick was smart and we had so much fun. I came from a family that that was much more conservative in comparison. But then when my father retired and I was on my way to learning what Canada was all about as a young teenager.  I left my best friend at a time that was the worst situation. 

Years later I went back with some courses that I was taking and I met up with Rick. Saw everyone. And Rick at that time was ready to move on with life and go to Florida, which became his home.  Regardless of all that he has currently lost he has not had to file for bankruptcy but he is going through things and working them out. 

I know many people write on faith and religion. Rick like myself were raised catholic, and then we went our own ways. And for myself I don't push my thoughts on what I believe in on areas, I just go about life in my own manner. I would consider myself more spiritual where I see Ricky as much more of a participant of his faith than myself. we talked about this and then so many other things. For him, it’s the foundation of all that he does.  He said that the last two years he lost sight of what had meaning for him as he became so caught up in spending and working for a company that was privately owned by a person that ended up doing the old game of saying that they are making changes where really when it comes down to it they just wanted to cut him out of the company. It happens.

Rick actually sounded very happy. I knew when I received one email from him that something had gone wrong and I have not spoke to him in at least a year. But he is not complaining he is in the making in his own way.  This is what I find so neat. I relate in a conversation with him better than anyone. I guess in ways you could call us brothers. He always uses that word and I know that for a person that is so contagious with his enthusiasm with everything that he embarks on. There is something wish keeping a friendship as such. I know I have wrote with regards to Sid and a few other friends that I have known since my transition from the states to Canada. And there was a time long ago where I really wished to have all of my American friends meet my Canadian friends. I thought that would have been the neatest thing.

Seems I understand things more at a different time and age. I am not sure how to say it, but in a year regardless of what I am doing I am going to catch up with Rick again. It seems that he has slowed down a tad, maybe we are growing up. Growing up in a generation that has so much to offer and yet has so much that one can loose sight of what are the most important things within life. 

I will see some sights that are speaking on areas and subject of America and to be entirely honest with you, my folks came back into Canada to have me as they were very naïve with what would happen with me if I had dual citizenship. Not kidding. Ironically my father was within the Air Force and he was worried that I would be drafted down the road. I know it sounds outlandish, but it’s really the truth. But within my own mind set, I feel that if I missed being America by only two weeks, I will think as if I am a dual citizen.
Why not.  I enjoy some thoughts on where these two countries are going – Canada and the United States.

I still do believe it does not matter where you reside. As far as when it comes to the individual or person.