Kristian

Waiting in line for TSA seemed like it took longer than the actual flight to get to Orlando. When we finally landed, I had to orient myself to this new airport. I love going to airports, it always shows a little about the city before going in. Atlanta has business advertisements and art crawling all over the walls, Vegas has slot machines at each gate, and Orlando has Disney and Universal stores and banners everywhere. I found my way to the exit, and waited impatiently. I haven’t seen this couple in a few months and I couldn’t wait to see them again! And this time, it was on their big day!
As soon as I saw them I jumped and waved to flag them down. Morgan came out of the car to greet me. I threw my bag in the trunk and jumped inside. This is when I met Kristian.
“Ahhh, so you’re the infamous Kristian I’ve heard so much about!”
“And you’re the Jacob I’ve heard so much about!”
The exchange seemed so quick, but when you’ve heard amazing things about a person, it gives you a small expectation.
I first heard of Kristian in Yosemite almost a year prior, when I met Kelly and Morgan. We just completed our day hike and were starting to settle into camp. With a flask in hand, and fire roaring we told each other stories of our lives. Kristian seemed to have made a big impact on Morgan. He told me how they met and a few stories of their adventures.
After getting to know Kristian myself I couldn’t wait for our own adventures. I didn’t know that one would come so quickly.
That night we finally got back to the house, dropped our bags and said our good nights to the happy couple. Kristian, Lewis, and I made our way to the back yard to hang out for a few more hours before heading to sleep. What seemed to start as a “Getting to know you” session, turned out to be a “How’s it been old friend” moment! It was almost like the three of us had been best of friends in a previous life or two.
The following three days felt a lot like when I was a kid, hanging out with my cousins. Comfortable, spontaneous, easy, and best of all, humorous. The inside jokes seemed to never slow down and the cuddle puddles never repetitive.
Unfortunately the weekend that felt like weeks, rolled to an end. But right before saying our good byes we dotted our i’s and crossed our t’s and was able to arrange a last minute road trip on my way back home!
How crazy is it that a you could meet someone a few days ago, and have a never ending conversation for an upwards of 7 hours.
I recall telling Kristian during that trip that at some point in my life I was discouraged. I felt that I was putting out positivity in the world for so long, yet no one seemed to have been receptive and that it was getting me nowhere. That was up until I met Kelly and Morgan. Their openness to my positivity and them responding with so much love, it moved me to keep doing it. By doing so it’s gravitated so many other amazing souls into my life, including Kristian’s. I found that even if I only have a few remarkable people respond to my call, then it’s worth each and every rejection.
Our car road trip was not just driving down the road with a buddy, but the beginning of a long journey with an old friend. Our conversations from the weekend and on the ride spanned from laughing till we peed ourselves (maybe that was just me?) to understanding the cosmos. These kinds of friendships and connections are ones that you can take to the grave. And hopefully as we move through our lives, one of us will stand over the others grave and say all the amazing things we’d want to hear about our own lives, and tell the stories of all the adventures we’ll have to come. It all starts with…
5..4..3..2..1. Go!
Can’t wait to see you in Orlando buddy!

