Waxing Nostalgic!

I tell ya, sometimes life just throws something at you, serendipitously and wow!

so, let's let the story begin:

When I was 16 years old and a sophomore in high school, I met a girl named Mary. We became instant best friends and would spend the next 14 years entwined into each others lives. Mary was a bridesmaid in my wedding, I in hers, she was around when I had my daughter Amanda and I for her son Peter, but, strangely enough, we somehow just drifted away. Maybe it was lives as new moms and the distance we had then lived from each other, who knows, but the fact is we just stopped talking! We didn't have a fight per se, it was definitely a weird situation and maybe neither of us knew how to fix it?? Who knows....so, for the next 14 years, we never spoke nor saw each other.

A couple weeks ago my mother's best friend's husband, Mr. Harloff, passed away. I attended the wake for Mr. H, I have know Mr. and Mrs. Harloff all my life. I had my suspicions as to whether Mary might be at this wake as well because she had become close friends with Mrs. Harloff's daughter Pam. ( I would hear updates now and again on stuff because my mom and Mrs. H (Pam's mom) were friends and she would see Mary now and again). I entered the wake and looked around and didn't see Mary. Figured that we would be there at different times is all. As I was about to leave, I glanced behind me and sure enough, there was Mary and her hubby Peter! We both looked at each other and smiled and that was it! We talked, we hugged and the distance had been broken.

The next day would be the funeral. Unfortunately I was not able to attend it but my mother, of course, did. While there, Mary approached my mom and gave her information to my mom, asking her to forward it to me and that she'd love to talk! I emailed Mary and we set up a date to meet for lunch and catch up!

We met yesterday! I have to admit, I was still a bit nervous, after all, it had been so long and I know that I am no where near the same person as I was 14 years ago, and would we feel comfortable talking or would it be weird??? Well, almost immediately it was like old times. I felt really comfortable talking to Mary! She hasn't changed a bit, still looks as young and as fun as she ever was!! I swear, she just hasn't aged a bit!!

We sat and talked for almost 3 1/2 hours, catching up on our lives, our families, our hobbies etc. It was nice. We even set a date to get together again, this time with the kids! When I got home, I wanted to email Mary and say thanks for the nice afternoon and that I was happy we had gotten back in touch and how fun it was! Mary beat me to the punch and sent me that same email LOL!!

I'm sitting here now and it makes me smile to think that people can come in and out of our lives at times we least expect and how cool that is! I have a lot of history with Mary...most of my teen life is filled with experiences I shared with her. I'm just glad to be able to talk with her again and maybe, just maybe, we will find some new experiences that I will look back on in the years to come.

So, Mary, thanks! Thanks for giving my mom your info, thanks for the wonderful catching up we had yesterday, thanks for the smiles today when I remember....the conversation hearts, the Cadbury eggs, the movie "10" with Cathy reading her book, the American Gigolo (we saw it like 100 times right?? LOL), Almanzo Wilder (remember him...the hottie on Little House??), for our crushes on Mark, for drinking whiskey spiked coke at the Marshall Field's parking lot, for raccoons and mice, spring break in Florida and all the other wild crap we did together! But most of all, thanks for the return of a friend!

(photo taken 1981)

and, for old times sake, I've switched out the tunage for you...is purple still your favorite color??? LOL

Until next time,
blessings!