The Island of Dr. Nightmare

Well, at least it was for a few people that night.

My sweet one and I went to an HRC fund-raiser called Dinah Lakeshore this weekend. It's a swanky little mixer where they shuttle you over to a little island on Lake Austin for drinks, dancing, tasty treats and apparently for some, unwanted run-ins with nightmare exes. I tend lately to be remarkably unscathed in such matters-- most of my exes still enjoy my company socially or at worst are safely several states away. Not such good luck for some this weekend.

There would have to be a very complicated flowchart involved to explain how all the involved parties were interconnected but imagine something along the scale of a very crowded game of Twister. My friend P very pithily described the crowd as containing '2/3 of the Axis of Evil'. I had the unique, sometimes amusing, sometimes heartrending position of being friends with many on the receiving end of the AoE and it saddened me to see how unsavory and unhealthy people can suck the oxygen out of the great outdoors.

I had an email exchange with my ex-wife today and I couldn't resist posting her quote:
'I think she [SHE being 1/3 of the AoE] has borderline personality disorder. A psychologist told me you can tell if you've got one in your group of friends and acquaintances: there will always be people who are mad at each other. After about the fifth grade, this doesn't happen naturally. It takes an instigator.'

A wise woman my ex.

Anyway, all came through unscathed- except maybe psychically, and hopefully the healing can continue. I'm not sure why but I feel lighter, more optimistic and generally cheerful than I have in a while. I'll have to ponder a bit on why. Maybe seeing that amount of unhappiness just further cements what I have to be thankful about.

The night ended as it should. I got to dance with my sweetheart to the song I requested and ride quietly back to the shore with my love leaning against my shoulder. I am truly blessed. I wish everyone- especially those who have been entangled with their own Wicked Witch of the East, much health, healing and the peace that comes from making your way home with the one who holds your heart as precious as their own.
"I Will Follow You Into The Dark"