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.
the usual bliss 
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!