I have just returned home from three days in the mountains with three of my best friends from college -- my old roommates. This was our first trip together since graduating college 7 years ago. And only the second or third time all three of us had been able to get together since we graduated. During our trip, we kept lamenting the fact that it had taken us so long to finally have this reunion trip. But in all honesty, we had a lot of life going on that we had to sort through first.
We never really lost touch -- it's just that our communication became sporadic the more distracted we got with the then current circumstances, troubles, concerns, and path changes. We always checked in with each other, kept up with each other, and at least knew about the "big" things going on in each others lives. But in the process, we didn't get to know the women we were becoming.
When you live with people for 2-3 years, you really get to know them on a whole 'nother level. And the three of us were as thick as thieves. But 7 years of time without each other is a long time. So to take this trip together as an escape from the stresses of our current lives to reconnect and refresh our friendship and our spirits, it was pretty amazing.
Even after 7 years, we picked right back up from where we left off. Conversation was easy and went from lighthearted to serious to deepest secrets. There was no awkwardness at all -- it was as if no time had passed when it came to the love we have for each other and the deep rooted friendship between us. It was so interesting to see that even after seven years, so little of our personalities had changed. So much time but some things never change.
Simultaneously, after seven years so much about each of us has changed. One of us is a single mom. One of us is married. Two of us live at home. One of us is going back to school. All three of us have re-committed ourselves to Christ. All three of us are "old" and prefer relaxing activities and early bed times to partying and socializing with people we don't know. Two of us have found ourselves in professions we never expected to be in. One of us is still not sure where her path is leading her. One of us just quit her job and does not have another job lined up. One of us just broke up with a guy. One of us is newly in love with a guy. All three of us are still healing from the scars on our hearts put there by the men we let in.
To get to know each other afresh, after so much has changed but so much has stayed the same was simply beautiful.
I came home from that trip with a fresh and invigorated spirit. We spent our time laughing so hard we were crying. We let loose and were just plain silly. We were tumbleweeds and went with the flow. We encouraged each other; built each other up; poured out our hearts and our fears and our deepest secrets that we hadn't been able to share with each other because we'd barely seen each other in seven years. I feel so positive and joyful after those three days. My heart could not be more full or grateful.
When it comes to real friends, it doesn't matter how much time has passed -- you're able to pick right up from where you left off.
We had a wonderful trip. We saw some beautiful things, ate some delicious (albeit bad/heavy) food, went to a ton of places, got some Christmas shopping done, and even got a massage. But where we went on our trip wasn't nearly as important as the words and love we shared with each other.
I am so excited to have my girls back close to my heart again. And I can't wait for our next get together next month!
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