Threads......

Today was a flashback. I drove down to Park Ridge (where I grew up) to have lunch with a friend I met in high school.  I wanted to see one of Megan's paintings on display at a Park Ridge art gallery and she was able to meet me. Barb moved back to Park Ridge a long time ago, was free for the day, so it was a nice opportunity for a quick visit.

We met at the gallery, viewed the pieces featured in the show and then went to lunch. The restaurant is located in what used to be the town's main pharmacy. How times change!

We had a fun conversation filled with some memories, laughter and sharing. While we were not best friends in high school, we did spend a lot of time together. She went off to St. Olaf for college while I went to Ripon, and we began to lose touch. I'm sure we saw each other during summer vacations or over winter break. But soon after college our "adult" lives took us in different directions. Marriage, children, husbands' career moves.....off we went.

Our paths first reconnected, strangely enough, when her son and daughter-in-law bought my mom's house back in 2010. Sitting across the settlement table at the real estate closing was the first time I'd seen Barb since the late 1960's.

And then again we got together once last year (with another high school friend, Karen).....and now today. It's nice to pick up a few old "threads" and find that there are still commonalities and reasons why you were probably enjoyed each other's company in the first place.

I'm glad we were friends way back then.....I'm glad our paths re-crossed....and I'm glad we had lunch today. Hope we can do it again before long.

In a world full of divisions......I appreciate the threads that bind people together....no matter how tenuous.