A few weeks before we left Cardiff I found myself getting a bit nostalgic. We attended a community parade and festival. At the festival they had displays from different organizations in the Grangetown community. One of the displays was from St. Patricks Karate Club. During the display they played a song, [Brothers In Arms](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brothers_in_Arms_(song), by Dire Straits. It took me a few seconds to recognize the song since it had been so long since I had heard it. But when I did recognize it I was immediately transported back to the mid 80’s.
When I was 11 or 12 my father bought me a Kenwood stereo system. This was no ordinary stereo. This was a system of separates (amp, pre-amp, dual cassette, turntable, CD player, tuner, remote control) with speakers almost as tall as I was at the time. If I can find a photo of it I’ll post it, but let me just say, it was an awesome behemoth. At the age of 11 I wasn’t real big into music. I was more of a baseball guy. But hearing Brothers In Arms a few weeks ago reminded me of playing the cassette tape of the Brothers In Arms album over and over. CD’s were still relatively a new thing but for some reason my dad had Elton John’s Ice On Fire CD. When I thought of Dire Straits, I then thought of Elton…oh Nikita you will never know. I then thought about the the vinyl version of The Joshua Tree by U2 that I was given as a Christmas present. That album changed how I viewed music, even as an 11 year old. It remains to this day my favorite album.
Since I was firmly planted on memory lane I thought back to things I had long since left behind, but for some reason found myself missing just a little. Things like Keller High School football games, good conversations with my group of friends, camping with Ryan…you get the picture. I guess part of my nostalgia had to do with us getting prepared at the time to leave Cardiff for a few months and return here to the States. Knowing I was coming back caused me think of things that have long been a part of my past.
I then thought about how I would love for my kids to experience some things while they are here in the States that will become memories for them, something that they can become nostalgic about when they’re older. But last Sunday I changed my mind about what I want for my kids while we’re here in the States, and what I want for me as well. I’m not looking for “experiences” for them, or me, to have and remember. I’m looking for relationships that can both change their lives and allow them to change others lives. I’m looking for the same for me.
I’ll take relationships over experiences any day. To invest in others, and have others invest in me, is infinitely more valuable than any trip down memory lane…even when that trip includes the greatness that is Dire Straits.