What I would have said…
When I wander back through the years in my mind, images and feelings, more than detailed stories, appear, images and thoughts of the different stages of our lives and our friendship – intensely close times, times when years pass without seeing each other, times when we just stayed in touch.
I think about…
…the picture frame in your kitchen when we were growing up, and how your mom changed the photo to whoever in your family needed some extra thoughts or attention. It was usually because of something great that was happening in their lives, but sometimes because of a rough patch they were going through. She was decades ahead of them all – nowadays we have electronic frames that do the same thing.
…how amazed I always was with your family – coming from my small, quiet reserved family to your large, full-of-life house was always overwhelming, but I couldn’t keep away. How I was amazed that I could actually be part of this in a small way through my friendship with you.
… Misty and Tara at Pound Ridge, both doing their thing – diving for rocks and catching water droplets to the pleasure of other walkers.
…our New Year’s Eve house sitting adventure at your next door neighbor’s house. Were we grown up, or what!
…our trip to Italy after college… meet me on the Spanish Steps. Gelato mi piace.
…our “grown up” phase, when we were first married, and our circle expanded to include husbands.
…my first camping trip with you and Steven (peeing in the woods was a big thing!)
…my surprise party when I graduated from NYU Business School – I had no idea anyone even knew I had finished!
…how we both had kids that were similar in age, but how we lost touch for most of our kids’ little-kid phase – oceans and time kept us
apart. Somehow, though, it was ok.
…how since the 30th reunion, we’ve come back together, each of us making a better effort to stay in touch, each of us ready for yet another phase in our lives, each trying to figure out “what’s next?”
…how I’m glad you’re there, whether on the other end of the phone or email or stopping by to visit or making plans to meet in Vermont.
…and how every once in a while I still feel like I’m 17 and getting ready for another day at RHS and find it hard to believe that all these years have actually already gone by.
