I got a certificate at work the other day, congratulating me for five years of service at the NSIDC.  Five years seems so short when I look back like this though.  I’m not quite sure why – it’s possible that it’s because I’ve been at the NSIDC off-and-on since 2005 (before I started as a full-time professional, I was a student).  It could be that the last five years have been far more stable than the preceding 10, which were defined by transience, short-term goals, and significant changes.  Finally, it could just be that I’ve only been with the organization for five years, which is a very short time compared to some of the other folks in the center – we just celebrated our 40th anniversary at the NSIDC, and there were people in attendance that have been with the center since the beginning.

It is not a coincidence that this has also made me think about Jessa’s and my five year anniversary which we just celebrated.  While it’s definitely something I’m proud of, I can’t help but think that we’ve been together for over 11 years now (which I’m also proud of).  Still, it doesn’t seem very long compared to my mother’s marriage (which is coming up on 28 years this year) or my peers that boast marriages lasting more than 25 years.

All this makes me think of my age.  I’m turning 34 this year, and, while that doesn’t bother me (I don’t really think about getting old), it makes me think that I’ve lived over a third of my life on the front range, but I still call the Western slope home.  I think about how I’ve been role-playing since I was ten, but that I haven’t had a regular role-playing group lasting more than a couple of months since I moved out here.

At the end of the day, these five year anniversaries have reminded me what I believe to be important in my life right now – permanence in my job and my home life.  I also want regular contact with my friends – a reliable pattern that helps me provide a framework around my life that’s not just work.  While five years may feel like permanence to some, for me…  …It still seems so very short-term.