celebrating with friends

On Saturday Derek Jeter got his 3,000th hit in dramatic style. It's a feat most baseball players will only dream of accomplishing, made all the more impressive by the fact that only 11 players have done it while playing for just one team. No other Yankee has 3,000 hits. It's pretty heady stuff.

Being Yankee fans, and Derek Jeter fans, the Gill household is very happy for him.

But, not nearly as happy as his buddy, Jorge Posada. The look on Jorge's face (watch the video at the link above) when Jeter hit his home run is priceless. While Jeter was, I think, relieved and obviously excited Posada was downright giddy.

And with good reason.

Posada, Mariona Rivera and Derek Jeter have played their entire careers together with the New York Yankees. They've won multiple championships and represented the reality that few Yankee haters will ever admit: the past 15+ years of Yankee success was not merely purchased, it was homegrown. These guys have weathered the New York media, experienced incredible success and hardship. These were the guys the nation looked to after 9/11 to restore a sense of normal, of hope. And they came through with flying colors.

The celebration Jorge and Jeter shared Saturday was one that any friendship would envy, I think.

My immediate thought when watching was, 'Who do I celebrate with like that?' Whose personal success would draw from me that kind of emotion?

Denise, of course, is one obvious answer. She's been my best friend for 24+ years, and there have been such moments of celebration in our journey together: the birth of children, college graduations, the growth of her practice, etc.

Ben, who has been my friend since I was 3, comes to mind as well. When he was able, after 10+years @ Home Depot to get a different job that he was excited about I couldn't wait to hear his news and be happy with him.

Good news of your own is fun. But, the good news of a friend is better some how. I don't know why. Don't care, really :)

So, who do you celelbrate with?