In My Life...

(Lennon/McCartney)

There are places I remember
All my life though some have changed
Some forever not for better
Some have gone and some remain
All these places have their moments
With lovers and friends I still can recall
Some are dead and some are living
In my life I've loved them all


But of all these friends and lovers
There is no one compares with you
And these memories lose their meaning
When I think of love as something new
Though I know I'll never lose affection
For people and things that went before
I know I'll often stop and think about them
In my life I love you more

Though I know I'll never lose affection
For people and things that went before
I know I'll often stop and think about them
In my life I love you more

In my life I love you more

I've spent this weekend reviewing and reliving my long ago past. It was unexpected, and has been pretty wonderful, for the most part. Which has surprised me. When I would think about these most formative years, 12-15, I got kind of nostalgic, but not so much that it made me want to reconnect with my friends. I used to think that they probably wouldn't really remember me very well, and certainly wouldn't have time for me. I have been pleasantly surprised to find that they think of me as fondly as I do them. Which is nice.

I've been trying to figure out why all this means so much to me now. I'm sure that in every one's life there comes that division; the 'before' and the 'after' they 'grew up'. These kids were certainly the best part of my 'before' I had to grow up. Michele, Kathy, Betsy, Debbie, Steve, Arnold- they were a part of a wonderful time in my life when I had no responsibilities. We did all the crazy stuff that kids our age did- ditched school together, hung out together, laughed almost too much together. These people were of a like mind, and they were there to lend a sympathetic ear in the way that only your best friends can. They say that your teen years are all about fitting in with your peers. If you did then it was all good. I guess I must have fit in pretty well, because it seems like it was indeed 'all good'. That must be why I remember that time so fondly. I think that I've been looking for the same kind of friendship ever since.

Sure, as time went on I have developed other friendships, but they seemed to be based on much different criteria; summer friendships that don't stand the test of Wintertime, college friendships born from late nights studying and drinking. All my adult friendships haven't had to test any real boundaries- especially after I married my best friend. I certainly didn't need to look outside my marriage for tight friendship then. But all those friendships don't compare to the friendship that I had when I was a young teenager. That must be why I remember that time so fondly.

We get so busy with the task of living our lives that we can and do easily lose focus- on what is important in our lives, and what our past was and how it can teach us in our present. I've been very lucky this weekend, I've rediscovered that it's a really good thing to have friends and it's great to be able to look back and relive some of the happiest times I'll ever know with some pretty terrific people; and it seems like the older the friends the better it is. I can't go back and relive my teen years, God knows I really don't want to. But, I'm really glad that I can revisit them now and know that I'm not the only one who appreciates those times like I do. Thanks, Betsy.