Connections

I have been spending the last few days with college friends in Portland, although yesterday I went up to Seattle for a CSJP community meeting.

It is hard to believe but I graduated from Lewis and Clark College twenty years ago! That span of time seemed significant enough to warrant attending my reunion. I also needed to be in the Northwest this weekend for the aforementioned meeting. But it is also very important to honor relationships with people who mean a lot to me by spending time with them when I can. Sure we stay connected across the miles, but there is nothing that can replace being together.

So I flew out here on Wednesday and have been staying with my good friend and her family,  including my 13 year old godson who is almost as tall as me! On Thursday I went on a tour of alumni owned wineries with two of my old roommates and some other classmates.  And on Friday I able to attend our class reception and 80s karaoke night (the pic is one a friend took with my camera without my knowledge of my friend Kim and I singing  a Talking Heads song).

We have all grown up. Careers have changed.  Children have been born and are growing up. Other important people have come into our lives. But the connections we made twenty plus years ago still matter.

I am glad I was able to come for a bit and look forward to the time when I return to the Pacific Northwest and see these people more often. We may not see each other frequently.  Our lives may have diverged as we follow different paths. But I am who I am today in no small way because of these relationships.  And for those ongoing connections I give thanks!