It’s been only a few days since Katrina left on her cross country visits to Boston, Utah, and Seattle, and I’m already missing her like crazy. Having someone out of your daily life powerfully evidences how intertwined your lives really are, and how emotionally invested you are in that person.

For example, Shento and I went on a walk this morning to our favorite place, the towpath along the Raritan river. When Katrina and I walk it together the miles pass with ease. Holding her hand and chatting along the way lightens my step and my heart. Today was different; I looked for birds in the tress and snakes along the river bank, but Katrina wasn’t there to point them out to. And despite my wishes to the contrary, Shento is a lousy conversationalist.

Admittedly, and somewhat shamefully, I often take for granted those things in my life that are the most meaningful. All too often, I think, we confuse what is meaningful, become disoriented in the seemingly pressing “needs” of our daily workday lives, and let the virtue of our intimate relationships with loved ones be overrun with selfish and shallow behavior. It’s sad that this happens when what is meaningful to you, and what you do about it, is totally under your control.

It’s easy for me to make excuses about why I don’t prioritize that which is most meaningful to me. My responsibilities to school and work all too easily embed themselves in my active consciousness, pushing out what I’d really like to be doing – that is, spending more time making our life in NJ more enjoyable until we can move back out west. Here's hoping that this summer will be an awesome time for Katrina and I to make some great memories.

Having Katrina gone for the week brings back to the fore that she is what makes my life meaningful. She is my excitement and enjoyment. And although I’ve always known this, it’s sometimes good to have these opportunities for reflection and reassessment of things.