Remember When

Yesterday I reconnected with a friend I hadn't seen in 20 years. She looked terrific, and her kids were adorable and fabulously entertaining. We caught up in between chasing the little ones through the Air and Space Museum, and it was shockingly easy and comfortable. It also got me thinking. There's something to be said for spending time with the people who knew you when.

"When" may be a shadow of the person you are today. "When" may be completely unrecognizable when viewed through the lens of your current life. But the "when" is in there somewhere, and I think it can be healthy to revisit it from time to time.

I didn't know what to expect when my friend and I met up, but for some reason, I just knew it would be alright. Her when has made her a terrific parent as she was always warm and open and generous with her affection. She even mentioned that she works hard now to recall the when as she communicates with her little girl. Remembering how the world looked to her as a five-year-old helps her stay patient as a mom.

As I suspect was the case with many teenage girls, my most prominent when memories are peppered with the struggles of figuring out who I was and who I wanted to be. But now I know better than I would have without that challenge, and in retrospect, I'm pretty proud of my when.

Thank you, friend. It's great fun being reminded.