Charms

This is an older story I wrote to my friend and editor, Jan who said I should "blog it" back when I didn't even have a website ... or a book for that matter. The meaning remains the same ....

Jan is having a bad day so I'm going to tell you a story ...

A long time ago, like 4 and a half years ago I purchased several charms with a 21 in a heart to give to Carly's friends. The company I got them from also has a "grab bag" with unpopular, out of date and ugly charms and I ordered a couple of those at the same time, well, because I'm a risk taker like that.

So 4.5 years ago amongst the grab bag of random zodiac signs, malformations, arrow heads, and Y2K charms there's a charm that says "Let's Roll". Well I'm thinking, "oh jeez, I'm not a trucker" and I leave it with all of the other rejects and smile because I find one that sort of looks like an angel and another that is a snowboarder I can give my brother.

Now its last Sunday and I just got back from another thrillsville-FDA job in Indianapolis and I think of the heart-21 charms because I want to send one to someone. And, in the sack I see the old grab bag rejects ... and I see "Let's Roll" and I'm struck first by the thought, "Wow, what's that doing in there?" And I feel a little twinge of guilt as I recall that 4.5 years ago (pre-BJJ) that little statement meant nothing to me, in fact I thought it was corny and I put it in a reject pile. And now, "Let's Roll" is an invitation to sport and friendship and has a completely different meaning to me. I'm wearing it right now!

And I was struck by the idea of context and how things can mean so much more or less to us depending on where we are at that time and what we are bringing to the table.

And I was reminded of how I laugh everytime I think of James and PTR (Jan, did you see this by his name in the ackno page?). That story goes like this: I had sent James a text and signed off with "PTR". In the basketball world, you might fist-bump your friend and say, "Peace Yo, PTR" when you depart. PTR = Pound The Rock. Which means keep your dribble low (the rock is the ball) and firm, keep the ball safe.

James texts back, "PTR?"  then before I can respond sends a follow up text, "Prepare To Roll?" Haha I'm laughing right now. Back then I laughed because I thought, "what a dork" (respectfully of course) but now that I understand the power of context and words, I get it.

Story time is over, I hope your day gets better.

Let's Roll-PTR,

E