One Moment in Time

I want to share another of those shining moments from my trip, where I felt alive and connected and like I was in exactly the right place at the right time and where life was happening again.

My college suitemates are a bunch of amazing women. On some levels we don't have much in common anymore: our political and theological leanings are all over the board, some of us are married and have kids - some aren't and don't. We live in four states and two countries. We earn a huge variety of incomes. Some rent, some own. We have chosen urban, suburban, and rural.

And yet, whenever we get together, it's 1996 again. We're back in Suite 324, yawning on the couches in the common room, no one wanting to fall asleep and leave the amazing conversation behind. Inexplicably, our bond has endured through the ten intervening years. As one who has missed the last several gatherings (stupid intervening ocean), I went into this one with one eye on analysis: how had each of us changed? had our differences finally managed to steer us apart?

But my analytical leanings were drowned out by my heart, which took up all of my brain-room with its rejoicing. You know, we used to plan activities for gatherings, back when there were weddings and babies to be anticipated. This time, we had a birthday, but no formal unions or tiny miracles to celebrate. It didn't matter. The conversation started the minute we walked through the door and continued on until we got back in our cars the next day, under mounds of snow, to drive away.

We looked in each other's faces and saw that the old closeness was there again. We looked inside our hearts and pulled out all the secrets that had hardened themselves up, and we dusted them off and let them unfurl in the safety of our little circle. We talked each other through job stress and insane health issues and relationship fissures. We rejoiced in the discovery of exactly the right doctor and therapist. We ooh'ed and aah'ed over the kids and what they've learned. We talked and we listened and gave stellar advice and listened some more and everyone had a turn at unfurling the secrets and letting them take wing. There was some urgency behind our conversing, because the clouds were rolling in and we knew we might have to cut our time shorter than we'd hoped. It gave us momentum. Anytime anyone left briefly - the host to put her daughter to bed, someone else to use the bathroom or take a much-deserved nap - we'd come back and ask eagerly, "What did I miss?"

I do miss these girls. A lot, some days. But it's pretty awesome to know that the bond we've worked so hard to keep will still be going strong when I'm back to enjoy it up close. Amy, Becca, Joanne, Jody, Kristen, and Nat: you're a huge blessing in my life, each of you. Thank you for all the little moments!