'Guys Night Out'

As I have matured, time spent with close friends, though infrequent, has become more treasured. Maybe it's the fellowship, the feelings of youth rekindled, the conversations engaged, or maybe, just maybe, its simply connecting with those we care about but for one reason or another in this age of time poverty we see less and less.
Whether its girlfriends, wives, families, friends, or work, our 'free time' as it was, has become squeezed. Typically, the first of those referenced above to be overlooked would be... friends. 'Guys night out' just convened recently and I found myself pondering many aspects of that time together afterwwards on my ritualistic nightly jog. The four horsemen gathered at a local watering hole and although it was an excuse to booze, as the saying goes, it was much more.
The group to whom I am referring has known one another for well over 20 years! Adrian, Kevin, Linwood and myself meet infrequently, attempting a once a month summit. But, that predictably doesn't happen based on our frenzied schedules. Ultimately, when we meet, I believe we all feel a bit more spry, young at heart and more animated.
Why you ask? Well, friendships spanning that duration empower each of us to speak our minds, interject thoughts we might harbor for whatever reasons with our daily personal interactions, and allow us to be ourselves.
Our 'night out' started as usual with fraternal handshakes, a bear hug, followed by drinks around the table. All the while, conversation grew from what movies had we seen lately, to books read, to World Cup Soccer, NBA Playoffs, French Open, travel abroad, shoe-model establishments, to reading relationship barometers. But after more beverages were consumed, our conversation transformed to a more serious aire. We established our typical rants on conspiracy theories of old, today's politics, the war in Iraq, into how the media had become an ever-expanding hindrance into our most basic ways of life.
An epiphany struck me at some point during that period of substance and sincerity. Our band of fellowship was much more than an excuse to drink with the guys. It had become a welcome liberation to the customary turbulence that shepherds our daily lives, a time to bond with old friends and become updated with what's transpired between our gatherings. That time, though short, revives us and reminds us of who we were and who we have become to this point in our lives. It is without a doubt a recharging at times of our fraternal batteries and keeps us cognizant of who might be out of sight but never out of mind.