"Familiarity breeds contempt"...?

So I probably should be doing something productive, but I can’t get past this.  I went back and looked at comments on Facebook and MySpace from the past year and a half (give or take), and it brought back a flood of memories, and with that flood of memories, a flood of emotion.  Seeing comments from people who I used to regard among my best friends, but whom I rarely speak to or even see anymore.  Seeing a long string of picture comments on one single picture (just because it was the summer and it was a way for us to talk and tease and laugh together) from people to whom I’ve been closer than anyone before, and who were closer to each other than many before; yet knowing now that there’s a distinct distance between all of us, not conscious, but nonetheless affecting (and in many cases limiting) our interactions.  Where once the bonds of intimate friendship were, now are cold walls of mere acquaintance, walls which deny access to many topics of conversation, to a deeper understanding of each other, and sometimes to our very selves.

“Familiarity breeds contempt.”

Is it just that simple?  Is it a guaranteed course of events, that a group of “friends”, once they reach a certain “closeness” to each other, will then fall apart and regress to the level of “mere acquaintance”, or worse?  I personally would like to think otherwise, but then again, there are few things that I long for so much as a small group of friends who think the world of each other and who would do anything for each other.  It was a dream come true when this finally happened to me upon coming to college.  And yet, the phrase regarding familiarity and contempt persists, and must do so for good reason.  And now, looking back and realizing where my friends and I once were, compared to where we are today, and seeing all the things that have come between us, it would seem that perhaps this phrase has acquired further justification.

And yet if this is necessarily true, it would necessitate that we approach new friendships with a jaded attitude, cynically reminding ourselves that “we probably won’t be friends a year from now.”  And yet to do so would prevent the friendships from forming at all, which does not seem to be the case, since friendships do form all the time.  So either familiarity does not necessarily breed contempt, or we simply choose not to believe that it does (or we know that it does and choose to ignore that).  I cannot say which.

But one thing I can say: much as you may think you do, you have little to no idea where you’ll be, who you’ll know, or who you’ll consider a friend 12 months from now.

Well, in keeping with my tradition of only posting on Holidays, I’ve put this off ‘til today.

First off, I’d like to wish you all a very happy New Year.  I can’t wait to see what it holds in store.

Now I’d just like to get a few things out.  First of all, I can’t wait to get back to school.  My family (I won’t specify who in particular) is driving bonkers.  Not that I needed any help.  But ever since my mom started going to this “naturalist” doctor, she’s been on an anti-everything-that-tastes-good-or-isn’t-whole-foods crusade.  First, let me describe this doctor’s process: he has you lay on your back with your arm sticking straight up in the air, and then he lays sealed glass vials of various substances, both good and bad, on your stomach, and then he tries to pull your arm down; depending on what he’s put on your stomach, sometimes you can hold your arm up, and sometimes you can’t.  But it’s voodoo if ever I’ve seen it.  And he's basically against every mainstream food source, because apparently they're evil.  Even though the human race continues to survive.  And my parents are falling head over heals for it.  And I think it’s because mom is desperate to get rid of all the aches and pains that she’s got.  She’s fallen for other things before in that attempt, but this time, we’re all getting caught up in it.  And I’m going crazy (actually, I’m already there, but you knew that).  Anyway, just thought I’d get that out there.

Secondly, another reason that I’m looking forward to getting back to school is because I’ve finally found a place where I can be myself and be not just accepted for it, but loved for it, by every one.  And I can do the things that I enjoy, and be with the people I love, and get the education that I want, all at the same time.  It’s like living a dream.  No it’s not perfect, but I don’t dream of perfection.  I’d like to thank everyone who made my life so wonderful last semester, even though I’d like to thank you individually.  You accepted me so readily, and loved me so easily; it’s something I’ve never experienced, and it was more than I could have asked for.  Thanks again.  And thanks for reading my little rant in the previous paragraph. J

So to all of you, my friends, a most blessed, joyous, productive, prosperous, and happy New Year.  I don’t claim to know what the year hold for us all, and I’m sure that we’ll all have our share of heartache and sorrow.  But I have faith.  You may call faith blind, but it is a greater source of strength than any other.  So with faith in His power and desire to do so, may God keep and richly bless you.

Jordan M. Utley

P.S. By Jove, this is my longest post ever!

Currently Listening December, Piano Solos: 20th Anniversary Edition By George Winston see related

Well, it's that time of year.  In fact, it's tomorrow.  And I'm not ready.  Yeah, I've bought everyone presents, yada yada yada.  But I'm still stuck in September, what with school and all.  But I did well in school, acing two of my finals and making a 4.0.  But now all of a sudden it's Christmas time, and it feels like no time as passed since the start of school, and it doesn't help that the weather feels exactly the same as when I left.  But nonetheless, I will celebrate Christ's birth to the best of my ability.

So to all of you who are my friends, and even to those who I don't know, may you have a most Merry Christmas, even if it doesn't feel like Christmas.

"And as Tiny Tim observed, 'God bless us, everyone!'"

Jordan M. Utley

Well, another year, another Thanksgiving. 

So to all of you, to all of us, to everyone around the world, a very blessed and happy Thanksgiving.  And not just today, but everyday of the year.

Grace and Peace,

Jordan

I gives me great pleasure to announce that I am now officially a student at Trevecca Nazarene University. 

That having been said, I don't know how often I'm going to be able to update, but I'll do my best to keep everyone informed of the goings-on in my life, both as a student, and also as a fellow human being. 

May God richly bless all of you, and all of us.

J.