Socially Simple

It all use to be so simple. The time of our unguarded innocence. Before we all got so corrupted by relationships. When were kids meeting other kids was at school, school functions, sporting events, and other random get togethers (birthdays and otherwise). It was easy to meet someone through someone else and possibly become boyfriend/girlfriend. There wasn’t any red tape or proceed with caution signs. It was the simple do you like me yes or no.

Interaction was free and easy. There weren’t too many outside worries. There were no wives, not too many ballistic ex girlfriends (although those traits were developed at this time). You had different friends in different classes. They had different friends from different schools or classes. Then there were the friends in your neighbor who may or may not have gone to school with you and their other friends. If you played sports, cheered, danced or even played in the band, there were different set so f people there. At the Prep, my high school we often got to know each other on the quad before school, at lunch and sometimes after school. It was a time of constant contact and people meeting new people. Then there were those special events known as homecoming, playoffs, concerts, plays or birthday parties. The places outside of school that allowed you to show more of who you are in a not so controlled environment an allowed one to be more comfortable in another element. Where the girls showed a little more skin or wore their closes just a little tighter and the boys stood around noticing while considering her view. Where the boys were allowed to be a bit more chill and possible speak upon an opportunity that may not have presented itself in school. In college, we hung on the yard listening to music and seeing what dudes were coming down from State since Fisk was infested by the female population. Heaven forbid it was warm day in Nashville, you were bound to meet someone at the block party of the yard or under the tree of knowledge (good times on the HBCU campus). They were times where we allowed ourselves to be open to other people, well at least some of us but again, not as guarded.

It all use to be so simple.

Now as adults, we are guarded. We have baggage of sour relationships, crazy exes, failed friendship, selfish natured people and have shared sex with countless people. Saying that to say that one never truly knows how many people one has been with and in return you are with all of those people or one is just very promiscuous. Craziness with no judgments and that is an entirely different post. We lost that dynamic specialness. The kind of special that makes you want sit on the phone all night and spend as much time as possible with someone to get to know them. When the concept of a long walk was not so distinct or dinner and a movie was so expensive or illusive. At this point we are so instant and hesitant to let others into our hearts, minds and presence when all of that use to be so simple. We are damaged and meeting people is not as easy as it use to be.

Of course there are still those special events and yes there is our work places, old friends and the current sporting events but where do you go to meet a quality person or people. Don’t get me wrong I meet people all the time. I am still in contact with a lot of my high school counterparts (thanks to facebook) and even have some friends that share personal time with and randomly meet people all the time. I just have that kind of social personality. I love people and will talk to anyone at almost any time about anything. That is how I roll. But where does one go to meet and socialize with people now?

I am longer in high school or college. I am not married and do not have kids, as some may know, I have shoes. I have currently moved back home where I grew up to get back on me feet. Things are different here and I am different here. Don’t get me wrong, I meet people all of the time but then again I talk to people too. I meet them at the grocery store, library, happy hour, the mall etc. But where does one go to get the connection that one use to have in high school or college? How does one get that simple feeling of meeting people? Where does one go get that innocence of people back? Am I really asking too much or truly being naïve that it is indeed possible?