Re-connecting and Reminiscing

The past week or two has been filled with opportunities to re-connect with old friends. I spent an evening with a former student (who ended up being a close friend) and two wonderful ladies I used to teach with. Then one of those friends brought her young sons over to swim later in the week. It was great to catch up on what had been going on in their lives and realize how wonderful my life is with older children and no more toddlers. :-)

I had lunch with a friend from junior high and high school that I haven't seen in 28 years! We seemed to just pick up where we left off the summer after graduation. We talked about high school and last week. The conversation was seamless; easily flowing from one thing to another just like it did when we were 12 and 18. I never would have thought I could do something like that. Thanks to Facebook, I can...

I visited with my parents next door neighbor, my extra grandmother, when I dropped the girls off in Victoria. She told me where to find Charlotte, her "real" granddaughter (and my extra cousin), so I could stop by and see her for the first time in ages before I headed back to Austin. And I did! Again an easy conversation and a great feeling of complete-ness when I left.

I have never been good at keeping in touch with people. I tend to be a loner and kind of forget the old friends when it is no longer convenient to see them. Maybe it's because I'm hitting middle age, but I've enjoyed the re-connecting and reminiscing. I think I'll continue to try to rebuild those relationships. In talking with all of these people (particularly the ones from long ago) I've begun to gain some insight into who I really am. And I'd like to find that girl again.

I found a quote last week by e.e. cummings. "It takes courage to grow up and turn out to be who you really are." I think I may be finally gaining that courage thanks to Denise, Sarah, Jennifer, Temi, GrammaDee and Charlotte.