Monday, November 16, 2009

Good Morning Yesterday

Have weekend will travel or something like that. It works for us anyway and this past weekend was no different as we boarded a plane very early Saturday morning and headed back to East Tennessee. We were off to re-connect with friends from college...hubs was in a fraternity back in the day and they were celebrating the anniversary of their 55th year on campus.

I've been a lot of places all around the world but truly there are not many spots more lovely and peaceful than East Tennessee. The weather was perfection and the friends 'old'. And I mean that in the very nicest sense of the word. Because really there is nothing like old friends....friends who knew you when...friends you lived with and played with and laughed with and loved. Friends who when you see them take you right back to your 20 year old self. Friends who married friends and who are still married and who are still friends.

Some of these friends we've seen off and on in the years since graduation but others not so much. In fact some we hadn't seen in 27 years. It's easy to reconnect though...the bonds of these friendships were forged in the the land that lies between childhood and full on adulthood...days that were carefree in a way we didn't understand...life must be lived and looked back upon before the freedom of those years can be fully appreciated.

We weren't able to be there for the Friday night festivities which was disappointing but we did put in a full day Saturday and then some...you could say we danced the night away and I have the aching feet to prove it. Just fyi-my feet never hurt when I was 20.

There were stories told and re-told and maybe re-told again. They are still funny. Well, we think so anyway. There was a walk thru the bookstore, a ride through campus, and a visit to our favorite deli for lunch. There was also some picture taking...




These girls and I all married fraternity brothers in the summer of 1984. And we are all still married 25 years later. Go Us!


This adorable girl gave me a baby shower back in 1988. We were living in Richmond Virginia then and we spent lots of time with K and M. The guys liked to take their Hobie Cat out on the lake and we used to have dinner at their house pretty regularly. In fact my husband successfully managed to get their baby boy to eat his carrots. Baby boy was at the party this weekend too. He is 25. Yeah. Time is funny.

We're older now...neither the mirror nor the calendar lie. Or my aching feet for that matter. These 'boys' are scattered far and wide...some working and some retired...some with very young children and some with grandchildren... some wildly successful and some still fighting demons...they are military men who make us proud, businessmen, lawyers, professors, engineers, husbands and fathers and above all 'brothers'.


Once upon a time they landed together in a place called The White Castle and for a moment the world was their oyster... their friendship the pearl. And the pearl remains.

9 comments:

  1. Joyce,

    These are truly heartwarming stories when you can look back at your past and still see so much love and friendship growing as the years have gone by. Thank you for sharing this remarkable time with all of us.

    Love and Hugs ~ Kat

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  2. What a fun group of friends you have there! That is so awesome, that you still remained friends after so much time. Looks like a fun weekend!

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  3. What a great post - Having just spent the weekend with friends that go way back, it said everything I feel in my heart.

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  4. Glad you had such a great time in East Tennessee. That is such a beautiful area! Isn't it fun to re-connect with college friends? Joyce, you have a wonderful writing style. You are so talented! Have a nice week. Love & blessings from NC!

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  5. Beautiful...and so are "old", treasured friends! There's nothing like it!

    You group of girls should all be congratulated for still being married 25 years later. These days, it's quite an accomplishment! We're on 29!

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  6. What a beautiful journey through your life. You guys all look great and like you had lots of fun...not just this weekend, but all through the years.
    Blessings, andrea

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  7. I can't tell you how much I love this. Such fun! ALL married 25 yrs later = Priceless.

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  8. Joyce,

    What a lovely story all about friendships of old. I love those kind of friends and am thankful to have them. Isn't it great when you can sit together and talk like you were just together yesterday? It's the best feeling.

    You look great in the photo with everyone with your black boots and skirt on. Very fancy and pretty.

    Glad you and your hubby had a great time in East Tennessee.

    Blessings,
    Carol

    P.S. Kudos to you and the girls marrying those frat brothers and still going strong!

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  9. That's what true friendship is all about...No matter where life brings you...Awesome! The pics just showed it all - the greatness of brotherhood and sisterhood. Thank you for sharing. And I agree with sis Andrea - you all look great! God bless.

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