A few facts for you all:
1. Summer is my season. Being a teacher (and before that, a college student) my summers past have been spent bartending/waitressing. This mindless, flexible and lucrative job enabled me to spend any time I had off socializing and partaking in countless festivities that come with the warm weather and carefree vibe of sweet summertime.
2. I am a social butterfly and enjoy any and all time spent at social gatherings, large or small, with or without adult beverages. Let it be known that my group of friends and family is extremely diverse and I cherish each and every relationship that I possess.
3. My summer schedule has NOT been conducive to #1 and #2. Tomorrow will be my last night of the 1o week summer grad school hell I have been living, which included six classes, three nights a week, four hours per night (with a great deal of papers, projects and reading to complete outside of classes). I also taught summer school during the month of July, have been tutoring two children all summer and work at a boutique part time. I recently learned that it is a Gemini trait to spread yourself thin (further proof that I fit this sign to a T).
Why did I just bore you with my summer madness? I have a point to make, I swear. The first day of August (is it really August 11th already?) was a Sunday, and a rather glorious Sunday to boot apart from my vicious post folk fest hangover. It was also the day of my old friend Ery-Min's bridal shower. Sidenote: I used to think that I would be young forever and this day would never come, but alas, it has arrived. Wedding mania (one this past weekend, two in September, two next summer that I know of). I have officially reached the age where my friends are starting to settle down. But I don't wanna grow up!! Back to Shower Sunday. Ery-Min has been in my life since 3rd grade and we have been through a great deal together- good, bad, insane, tragic, hilarious, heartfelt. When I walked into the party, I was showered with feelings of nostalgia (pun intended). Looking at her mom, aunt, sisters, and mutual friends was like watching clips from a movie of my youth. Sitting there watching her open presents miserably (the whole shower idea and showing of the gifts is sooo not EM's style) I began to take a walk down memory lane with a HS friend that was also in attendance. EM's youngest sister- who was practically a baby when we were causing trouble as kids- is now 16!! When did I become 26 and how did it happen so fast? I got into quite the conversation about childhood camping trips, high school shenanigans, going to bars on school nights (?!). Reminiscing really does a strange number on your psyche. It felt good and I left feeling truly happy for my Ery-Min. I must digress for a somber moment to remember EM's first love and another old friend of mine who passed away five years ago this month. Ery loved Patty as far back as I can remember. I can still see her fifth grade hand scribbling his name under a heart in her notebook. Five years ago a tragic accident took his life but also brought EM and I back together. We drifted when I went to college, as people often do, and this unspeakable event drew me back to her. It took years to mend her heart as it had been torn to shreds. I can't fathom what it must be like to lose the one person that means the most to you in this life. Ery's fiance, MV, did the job of piecing her heart back together and I am so excited to celebrate their wedding day next month.
OK..the point I want to make here is the euphoric feeling I carried with me throughout that entire Sunday. After leaving the shower, I met up with TrayDay at my favorite cafe and talked about life, art, writing, reading, travel, summer, you name it. Every time we get together we say we need to do it more often. We continued the day by scooting helmet-free/illegally into Warren to his apt where I got my first viewing of his latest creations, coffee table books and upcoming video project. When it was time for my talented tall friend and I to part ways, he dropped me off to spend the next three hours of my reunion day with my old friends Hilaho and Stiner. It's incredibly comforting to be able to pick up right where you left off with friends that you haven't spent much time with in years. I feel truly blessed and cherish these special bonds even more so as the years pass.
The title of this post is a quote from the final season of SATC... Carrie says it to the girls at her farewell dinner. It always makes me think about what my life would be like had it not been shaped by the phenomenal individuals I have gotten to know and love. I'm lucky :)
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