And These are the Best Years of our Lives.

Here I sit, in a hotel room in North Carolina at 12:39 PM East Coast, 9:39 PM West coast, writing while my parents sleep-and my father snores-in the next bed over.

I'm here for my cousin's wedding. I haven't seen this cousin since I was roughly three or four, which is forever and a day being eighteen now. This wedding was really just an excuse to get the entire family in one place. The only one we're missing is my cousin Riki. Been here for one full day and I must say, it's been one of the most interesting days of my life.

We're in a hotel across the street from an enormous Mall (Macy's and a Dillard's), with one of the stores being interestingly named "Dick's Sporting goods". My family, I expected this from my immediate family but wasn't so sure about the uncles and cousins, decide that we need to go to Dick's and buy shirts that just say "Dick's" on them so we can wear them to the pre-wedding party and scare the groom's family. Unfortunately, this store is intelligent and doesn't carry shirts that say Dick's. Fortunately, however, they do sell drink cozies that say Dick's. We end up buying about thirteen of those and take them to the party.

But it wasn't until we got back from the party that things start to happen that make me think. From 9:00 until Midnight the entire family (about fifteen of us) hang out in my hotel room and chat about everything and tell stories. My favorite of the stories was when we were talking about my Grandfather (who died when I was four) and my brother and I were talking about how we didn't get to know him much, so my cousin's date decides to take the opportunity to say that we'll see him again someday. Then there is a kinda silent awkward pause and my brother quips "Yeah, 'cause we're /all/ going to hell" and everybody starts laughing to the point of almost crying.

I guess what I'm trying to say is:

As I'm sitting here, I've gotta thing, that there isn't much that really gets better than times like this. I'm fresh out of high school, eighteen, and about to encounter the real world. I'll make new friends, I'll make new memories, and there will be ups and downs. But I know that when I'm thinking back on the great times in my lives, a hell of a lot will come from the past few years. Growing up, hanging out with friends, traveling, telling funny stories with/about my family, and learning while still being a child and being able to depend on people. This is what I'll love, and this is what I hope will continue.

-Peace.