Last night, Amie called.

This is me bouncing around in my chair to the Cranberries and feeling good.

(bounce. bounce.)

I worked with Amie at the corporation euphemistically known as Mega. She's still working there, bless her, and thriving. When we worked together at a big honking' Canadian Client, everyone knew on our team that the power behind the throne was Amie.

She had no fear of telling truth to power, and fixing whatever she could fix.

Lethal combination, I promise you.

Also? Wicked sense of humor and absolutely no guilt about shutting down her computer and saying 'It's Friday, someone pass me a Margarita!"

Me? I wade through scads of undiscovered guilt on a daily basis. It's like a hobby of mine.

Which she used to tell me to get over.

And as always? She was right.

Amie called and it made me so happy to hear her voice that I'm still happy about this morning.

2 years ago, she warned me not to take the transfer that led to my ultimate 'take this job and shove it' moment. She said if I did, that nothing good would come of it.

And for once? She was wrong.

The journey of a thousand miles began with that step. If I stayed with her, I would have probably gone far. Maybe even Director by now.

Instead, I have dishes to do and the letters "B" and "D" to help my son wrestle. I have paperwork for ... oh.... every paper-loving agency in the free world to fill out. I have over 2 grand in recent hospital and doctor and dentist bills that I have to bully insurance companies over.

And they won't exactly send me 'attaboy' emails afterward telling me I fought a good game.

Amie called me last night!

And I was reminded that in 2 weeks, my option of reactivating back at Mega will slip away. A door will lock shut. A year, already.

I love Amie.

I loved that she called.

And I love that when we hung up, my cheeks hurt like a laughter hangover.

That I was still smiling when I kissed my husband. When I checked on my sleeping son. When I stood in the night's warm spring breeze.

And didn't look back.