Winding down......

The view from the 14th floor

My mind is still whirling with faces and conversations of friends from my "long, long ago".....friends, some of whom I may never see again in this life, many whom I hope I have the blessed fortune to see again, to hug again, and to laugh with again.  Friends who are apart of the fabric of my life.  Friends whose faces have changed ever so slightly, but who retain the essence of who they were 4+ decades ago when we first we met.  Friends whose smiles, whose laughter, and whose very existence are indelibly stamped upon my being, my memories and my dreams.  They are a part of who I am, and who I became.  And this is the reason I take time to travel to reunions....sometimes great distances....to hug one more time, to laugh with one more time, to speak of the past, the present and the future one more time with my "long, long ago" friends.  I have thought a lot about what it is about my "long, long ago" friends that draws me repeatedly, and without hesitation, back each time, and now, after this weekend I finally know......I understand why....they connect my past with my present, and make it all make sense.  You have to understand that when I explain how I met The Lovely Elaine, how I came to be the person, the husband, the father I am,  I must first start the story by telling you about my "long, long ago" friends.  

As we sit in the lounge area of DFW awaiting our flight home the memories of this weekend are still so vivid, so fresh in my mind.  I haven't yet processed all that happened this weekend, but I know that I am a far richer person this morning for having spent this time with my "long, long ago" friends.  Thank you to all who gave the sacrifice of time to spend time with your "long, long ago" friends.  I am truly in your debt.

Sunday, the night after the banquet finale, I was exhausted mentally from the past three days.  I don't know about others, but this kind of experience tends to drain me.....in a good way mind you, but drain never the less.  I spent time up in TLE's sister's suite where Phyllis (the aforementioned sister) prepared a wonderful brunch for us, and we sat talking with some friends, and family who had not yet departed. TLE and Phyllis are great cooks......I have always told them I don't worry about what they are making to eat, because I know I will like it.  We sat and talked for a while as friends and relatives came and went, and then I went downstairs to lay down for a while and just kind of "coot out" for a while.  I turned on the U.S. Open Tennis Tournament and watched a great first two sets between Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka.....ultimately Serena won the third set 6-1, but the first two sets were women's tennis at its finest.  It nice to sit and reflect, but not talk.

Around 7 pm I got a text from TLE (she was still with her sister) that I should meet them in the lobby because we were going out to a local rib place.   I was downstairs in a flash and we were on our way to "Big Rack Ribs".......this is funny....a little.....when I asked TLE where we were going I thought she said "Big Rat Ribs".....of course you can only imagine the thoughts that went initially through my mind.  We were joined by Phyllis, John, Bill and Gary for a wide ranging conversation covering many, many topics.  It was a very nice way to end the weekend.

Elliott (keft) was my roommate my senior year, and Faith (right) was a very good friend of his, and mine....thank you Faith for posting this picture.

Our flight out of DFW is at 6:10 am, so we got to bed by 10:15 knowing the alarm would jolt us awake at 3:30 am....it's going to be a long, long day, but it will pass quickly as I remember fondly the weekend with my "long, long ago" friends.

Thanks for stopping by!