RE-UNION

{an act of reuniting:  the state of being reunited}

My husband has his class reunion this weekend.  It took him about 6 weeks and a few phone calls from
his Best Man, Fat, to convince him that he needed to go.  I think I'm more excited than he is and I'm not
even going!

It sounds like a low key affair, outside at a local park with food, beer & wine, music and the guarantee
of lots of smiles, hugs, handshakes, laughter and the retelling of memories of days gone by.  Its been 40+
years since these guys have received their diplomas--the proudest accomplishment some of them have made and it was just a small step to greater things for others. Some stayed close to home, while others
found their way to foreign lands and back again.  For some the journey has been long and hard, well worth the trip, for others just an arduous set of life circumstances that they have simply survived.

Sure wish I could be a fly on the wall! (Or in the tree or around the barbecue...you know what I mean).
Funny.  I'm sure it wouldn't be anything new. It would be all the same stories I've heard for over 30 years. But I love having all the original 'players' in one place and hearing it in round-robin fashion.  You know, where one person starts, another chimes in to clarify a point, another corrects him/her and yet another ends with the proverbial "punchline" of the story. And the stories never end.  Literal lifetimes of memories will be there, some plainly wrapped and others spectacularly shown off with glitter, bows, lights and laughter!

And, I know how this will end.
He will come home, a bit contemplative, but obviously filled with delight.  I'll ask him
"So?  How was it?"  
"Fine".  
I'll pry a bit more and ask  "So, how is everyone?"  
 "Good".  
"Anything new?"  
"Not really"
"Who all was there?"
"Oh, you  know, the same ol' gang"  
"Did you have fun?"
He'll smile, a satisfying, knowing smile "Yeah.... it was really nice".

And, those precious moments will be stored away, only to be recaptured when he hears that one of his
buddies has moved, retired or died. He'll replay those moments as he watches his son and daughter
reach those life-pinnacles and highlights and as he watches his grandkids accomplish and survive all those
similar moments.  He'll re-live them through the sharing of  life-lessons he will replay with them all -probably repeating them more often than any of us want to hear!

This reunion will be important for keeping all those memories alive- allowing them to come to and remain close to the forefront of the "memory vault".  This reunion will be important for continuing to move forward in his life. Because, the power of reuniting with those memories and those who share them with us is lost on our youth and yet extremely necessary for our older selves. We are set free from unreal expectations, false hopes and dashed dreams when we can put our current selves in the context of our past; able to really see that who we are is where we came from.

It's a good thing, this reuniting. Like coming home, there's comfort and a sense of peace.  I pray that there is
joy in each moment that they share and fulfillment in every re-connection-big or small-for my husband and his friends. And may they know, without a doubt, the significance and the importance they each hold for one another. And, oh yeah......I hope they all have an awesome time!