Let's talk about Old Friends

A few weeks ago, I picked up an old friend from the airport. I knew I hadn’t seen him in awhile, and I knew I missed him. I was excited to spend an uninterrupted afternoon together before we got sucked into the business that brought him to town.?

It wasn’t until he walked through the sliding doors towards my car that I felt a wave of “Nostalove”. Don’t blame me if that word makes you feel weird. I read about it on the internet and, according to Google, all the cool kids are saying it. I picture a fragrant college freshman with fake dreads and a Bob Marley poster wearing tie-dye. Sure, the phonetics are funky, but the meaning is exactly right.?

Nostalove is a strong combination of remembering and nostalgia mixed with affection and joy.

Life gets busy. And the older I get, the more the people I love are scattered across to the ends of the earth. We remain tied together only with texts, phone calls, and random social media comments.?

That is not enough. I desperately need face-to-face interaction with the people I truly know and love. I need to share the same space and breathe the same air. I need to watch the smile roll across their face and hear the sound of their belly laugh.?

Nothing on the internet can equal the magic of in-person connection between like-minded human beings with affection in their hearts.?

That afternoon was a tapestry of laughter, empathetic anger, joy, discovery, remembering, and whiskey. It reminded me of who I am.?

Go find your people. If you need to get in a car or on a plane, it’s worth it. Yes, money is a real thing, and life is expensive. You can get more money.

The only thing we’re truly running out of is time.?

Daniel Whittington - Chancellor