Growing up... Optional

As I look at all that I do, (yup, turning another year older does this to me),

I'm extremely grateful to have such a young heart and quest

for life. I want to explore, dance, play and make the most of this

life, so that I do.  Last night to celebrate turning another year older

I went out with a girlfriend and it turned out to be quite the night.

We went out to a place known as Big Al's, there was a Jam Session,

going on. The entertainment, well to put it mildly, the first two

bands made me cringe.  The third band had a fantastic lead singer,

but the band itself left something to be desired. What did I expect, 

after all it was a Jam Session.  But what we found most entertaining

was the 'ballerina.'

A lady got up on the empty dance floor, it was apparent she has had

some type of training, what we guessed to be ballet.  She was not

only graceful and elegant, her movements captured attention...until,

well I'm not sure what the ballerina was ingesting but after about an hour

the poor girl could hardly keep from falling flat on her face. All

grace and poise went out the window. Sorry ballerina, but we had to laugh! 

My girlfriend and I decided to go outside for a smoke, not long after

a firetruck pulled up and I joked with my friend, told her she didn't have

to get me firemen for my birthday! ;-)  Shortly after an ambulance pulled

up, unbeknownst to either of us there was a young lady inside

who required an ambulance, she had overdosed on something. As they 

brought her out on a stretcher it perplexed both of us, neither of us

had even seen her in the establishment.  I hope and pray for that young

lady's sake she's going to be okay and learn from this.   

At the end of our adventure I couldn't help but laugh, my friend had 

ordered a bottle of wine, it was much cheaper than buying it by 

the glass, and the waitress brought my friend a bag to take the 

remaining half bottle of wine home. This is new to me, 

back in my drinking days people would get charged for taking 

alcohol out of a club,

today it's called corkage and totally legal.

So as you can see, and those of you who 'know' me here can attest to this... 

I know that growing old is not only a blessing, it is mandatory, 

whereas, thankfully growing up is entirely optional and I flatly refuse

to grow up!