Time.
Time is making fools of us again. – J. K. Rowling
Remember when you were little, and grown-ups talked about how quickly time passed as they got older? Or they’d comment about feeling so YOUNG inside their aging bodies. As a child, it didn’t make sense. Days went on forever and my whole life was ahead of me. The passing of time meant nothing, unless I was counting down the days until Christmas.
I get it now.
My 20th high school reunion is this year. TWENTY YEARS. How did that happen? I just turned 38 years old, for crying out loud. I feel younger than that number on the inside. Young at heart, as Old Blue Eyes would say.
A bonus of having a sizeable chunk of years behind me? Having friends that go way back. It sounds strange to say that I have been friends with someone for 15 or even 30 years. Strange and awesome. And one of my old friends is coming to visit me today.
Vanessa and I met in the mid-90s. We graduated from Fort Lewis College together. We were roommates for a while and worked together, too. We drank too much and went dancing pretty much every night. Though we’ve only seen each other a few times since those crazy days, we have 15+ years of stories and memories and a million reasons to laugh together. And we do. A lot.
^^Smoking on my back porch (sorry, Mom). Vanessa, me, and Laurel.^^
^^Ladies’ road trip to see the Beastie Boys. I’m the photographer. Vanessa is in pink.^^
^^Graduation. I look 12 on the far right. Vanessa second from left.^^
After college, Vanessa moved to Switzerland for a number of years. When I visited Italy and had a flight home out of Paris, Vanessa came to meet me. It’s pretty fabulous to sip champagne, have dinner on a boat on the Seine, and dance the night away in the Red Light District in Paris with a good friend. Especially when you live in Salt Lake City and she lives in Switzerland. That day is one I’ll never forget!
^^Please note number of wine glasses.^^
Vanessa was present for my wedding in October. As weddings go, I felt like I had very little time to spend with anyone because I was trying to spend time with everyone. But we did have a few moments together that meant the world to me.
^^Vanessa, me, and our third Musketeer, Molly.^^
I’m overjoyed that Vanessa is making the trip back to Utah today- that’s two visits in just a few months! These days, it’s not as easy to make friends that last. Life gets in the way of relationships- and makes a weekend like this one all the more special.
It’s time to make new memories with my old friend- the kind that we’ll look back on in another 15 years and laugh about. A lot.
Stay tuned for stories!
Side note: Thank God there’s no Red Light District in Park City.
- Posted in: flashback ♦ friends ♦ life
- Tagged: Beastie Boys, bliss, college, entertaining, Fort Lewis College, friends, happy hour, life, nostalgia, old friends are the best friends, Time passing, Vanessa, wine
Dead spot on. Time means something different now. I think about the main point of your post quite often…when I had my 20th reunion a couple years ago…I was awestruck at how fast it all went. I still can’t believe it.
It all makes more sense now! Another instance of “my parents were actually right…”
damn them!!
Love this post! Give Nutty a big hug. xoxo
Weekends with best friends are the absolute best. I live for the few weekends a year that I see my friends who live in so many places other where I do. Have a great time!
Oh, Time, that sassy broad. I had lunch with a friend last weekend that I’ve known for 17 years. SEVENTEEN. It blows my mind.
Have fun with Vanessa!
It’s NOT FAIR. I even notice it on days when Husbandio is home. They go SO MUCH FASTER than days when I’m home by myself… TIME. YOU’RE DRUNK.
When I was young, I thought “old” people were crazy when they would say “each year goes by faster than the last”. Now that I am “old” I totally understand what they meant! but I suppose when you look at each year as a part of a lifetime, then naturally as you get older a year is a smaller percentage???
Enjoy your visiting!
Cheers,
Laura
I just had the worst realization – I was wondering why the WP reader wasn’t displaying your usual numerous updates for me. It seems like the iPhone app I’ve been battling for a week had taken the liberty of un-following The Usual Bliss.
My 5-year high school reunion was a couple of years ago, but I politely declined to attend. I went to a big high school, so I’m not sure how exciting it would be to head back and see a bunch of people I never really know (my friends and I are all in touch, so I guess that’s what counts!)
So, were the Beastie Boys any good?
Also, I work with a few gals who go to the Fort. I don’t think much has changed up on that hill since you left
Are there any read light districts in Utah?!
**red
No. At least not like in Paris!