I have heard of jet-lag but I think I had become infected with time-lag this trip. I went from seeing old, old, old, friends where I had deep and emotional touchstones, where it was almost as if they were on the other side of a time warp and while my fingers touched quickly, that only happened if my eyes connected at the same time. Otherwise it was somewhat like rapidly flipping pages in a dusty old photo album. You try to hang on to the memories of you and them that happened and created part of the puzzle pieces that form bits of what you are today, but you also realize, at least those of us who live great distances away, that this is like visiting an old and favorite movie. It brings back feelings, but you are not sure that you were a character in that movie...maybe you only watched it one time long ago when you were most impressionable.
Those of you of live near where you grew up may not have such a jolt when your paths cross with old friends. I do not know. I do know for me it is a bit of an acid trip. My energies get drained and I lose my place in time and understanding.
This may very well be the last time I see old classmates all together. It will not be the last time I visit family. We see each other every few years, but that is mainly due to weddings and children moving across the country. These will soon dwindle and we will have to make an effort to meet up. Someone, a sister-in-law whose family lives across the Atlantic Ocean, suggested we needed a big family vacation together. The last one was in Italy well over a decade ago. I am up for it this decade, but may not be up for it in decades to come.
I do think part of this sweep in emotions was that in the middle I shifted gears to share 9 days with my nine-year-old grandson who is a treasure of a traveler. I hope he keeps happy memories of this trip because we were all in a super genetic link with similar interests and energies. I do not think the link will be so smooth with the other two when their time comes for such a trip.
OK...next I will take on Colleen's TAG...!
Being with people you haven't seen in a long time is surreal. Sometimes i wonder what i remember and what i wish had happened.
ReplyDeleteThat was what I liked about my own 50 year hs reunion. They had all been 18 in my memory as although I don't live a long way from where I went to hs, my family moved at the end of my senior year. Most of them I had not seen in 50 years. It was definitely interesting ;)
ReplyDeleteI suppose we can call these type of reunions as travelling in time... a time warp of sorts.
ReplyDeleteI don't go to my reunions. The only people that go in these late years were all people who had no interest in knowing me back then.
ReplyDeleteI went to a reunion this week--with people I used to work with. Some have moved away, some I have not run into for a while, and some I see on a regular basis. I did not have that time travel feeling so I guess it is different when one stays in the same area.
ReplyDeleteI discovered I had become a different person at my 50th high school reunion. Back then a shy wall flower, now I was greeting everyone and taking leadership of getting the group photo taken and mixing and mingling. I stood outside of myself and grinned at me. I have almost no contact with my high school classmates so they are pretty much strangers to me. Those days seem like another life.
ReplyDeleteI am currently back at writing my memoir. That life as a young mother seems strange too and it's easy to mix up my children with my grandchildren!
Childhood friends are among the best friends we will ever have.. I remember when I turned 50---I met with 3 other childhood friends the same age. We grew up together --but when we graduated, all of us went off in different directions including four different states. SO--we met again after being apart for so long... AND--guess what? We had a blast together --and it was as if we had NEVER been apart.... We met together after that year (1992) every years for many more years. Now--unfortunately, two of these friends have passed away.... SAD.... But--life goes on..
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Betsy
You are ;lucky to be able to n to afford travel for getting in visits. You seem very popular.
ReplyDeleteSince my social Mother has been gone, no one else has arranged family parties. Mostly we only meet up at funerals these days, n it's depressing.
You never know when the last times will be- I hope you get more surprise visits than you anticipate.
Reunions of families are usually wonderful affairs (depending on the family); reunions with old acquaintances can be an eye opener. We tend to think that they look so much older than we think we do.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful, real post. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteLife does slow down at a certain point but keeping ties with friends and family should always remain a priority.
ReplyDeleteI've never been to a class reunion but since I'm married to my high school sweetheart, I'm fairly in touch with my memories of that time. They tend to be happy ones, but I really don't have a desire to relive them with other people. I'd love to hear of your trip with the grandson - what a cool tradition you've started!
ReplyDeleteTerry goes to his reunions but I don't go to mine. I am still in touch with the one classmate I really care about,and that's enough.
ReplyDeleteI think your reflections here are interesting.
I live in the town that I grew up in and my reunion was still a little bizarre. It was like a time warp. And having both of my best girlfriends staying with me was DEFINITELY a time warp. It was like we were back in high school. It was pretty crazy. And I went through a weird little depression (or melancholy) after they left.
ReplyDelete