There is a Lull Every Seven Minutes...
Yesterday was an amazing day on so many levels. I got to get in my car at 9:30 in the morning and I did not return until 7:00 in the evening. I drove, all by myself, to Columbus, OH. It's only about at two hour drive, but it felt like I was going to another planet. Never mind that I used to make that drive every week. I lived in Columbus for four years, but that was 10 years ago. The city has changed dramatically and so have I. I remember exactly how it felt to be 25, living by myself, working tons of hours and saving NOTHING. I lived like there was no tomorrow. Sometimes it was fun. Sometimes it was lonely. I don't miss it.
Upon arriving in the Short North area in Columbus, I followed my car's navigation system to the restaurant because the one I chose didn't exist when I lived there. However, the car took me the wrong way and I ended up having to figure it out on my own. Typical. I was terribly late to meet my friend, but that was okay because she was having issues, too. When we finally sat down together, we ended up having a fantastic lunch. Lunch turned into a glass of wine at a bar down the street and then appetizers and another cocktail at the restaurant where I had my first date with my husband. In between our destinations, we strolled along High Street talking about anything and everything.
We all have friends that we've lost touch with. I hadn't seen this particular friend in about 14 years. Jaime and I were best friends and inseparable in college. We had a big fight in the late 90's and hadn't seen each other since. We 'made up' on Facebook, which was great, but not the same as sitting down and looking someone in the eye. So, finally, that's what we did yesterday. It was wonderful. It wasn't awkward or strange. We certainly didn't struggle for topics of conversation. I think we talked for a solid five hours, with absolutely no lulls. I've heard it said that there is a lull for every seven minutes of conversation, on average. Not for us.
We talked about our kids, our husbands, our jobs and the last fourteen years. We talked about people from school and what they're doing now. We were both in the School of Theatre at Ohio University from 1994-1996. Some people we were in class with are actually working in the theatre world (acting, directing, casting, etc.) I changed my major to Interpersonal Communications in '96. Jaime changed to Education sometime after that. I left school in the winter of my Junior year. She stayed and finished several degrees. She married the guy she started dating Sophomore year and they're still married! I liked him a lot. I have to admit that I was a little nervous about him when she introduced us Sophomore year, only because he immediately became a permanent part of our daily activities. I thought I would feel like a third wheel or that the dynamic between Jaime and I would change. It did change, but not for the worse. Eric was (and I'm sure still is) a life of the party kind of guy. He was the perfect host, even in his dorm room. We would have 15 people packed in there on a very regular basis and it was always clean, tidy and well stocked with snacks and adult beverages. He wasn't a theatre major, but we forgave him for that. He sang and enjoyed theatre, so we could still geek out and sing soundtracks of our favorite musicals together and it was not frowned upon. When my boyfriend and I broke up, Jaime and Eric were there. When I stressed out about changing my major, they were there. When I started suffering from a very deep depression, they tried to be there. I pushed them away.
So, now that we're all in very good places, I truly hope we will be real friends again. I've learned that life is too short to spend with people you don't really like. Instead, I'm hoping to rekindle a friendship that really shouldn't have died in the first place.
Upon arriving in the Short North area in Columbus, I followed my car's navigation system to the restaurant because the one I chose didn't exist when I lived there. However, the car took me the wrong way and I ended up having to figure it out on my own. Typical. I was terribly late to meet my friend, but that was okay because she was having issues, too. When we finally sat down together, we ended up having a fantastic lunch. Lunch turned into a glass of wine at a bar down the street and then appetizers and another cocktail at the restaurant where I had my first date with my husband. In between our destinations, we strolled along High Street talking about anything and everything.
We all have friends that we've lost touch with. I hadn't seen this particular friend in about 14 years. Jaime and I were best friends and inseparable in college. We had a big fight in the late 90's and hadn't seen each other since. We 'made up' on Facebook, which was great, but not the same as sitting down and looking someone in the eye. So, finally, that's what we did yesterday. It was wonderful. It wasn't awkward or strange. We certainly didn't struggle for topics of conversation. I think we talked for a solid five hours, with absolutely no lulls. I've heard it said that there is a lull for every seven minutes of conversation, on average. Not for us.
We talked about our kids, our husbands, our jobs and the last fourteen years. We talked about people from school and what they're doing now. We were both in the School of Theatre at Ohio University from 1994-1996. Some people we were in class with are actually working in the theatre world (acting, directing, casting, etc.) I changed my major to Interpersonal Communications in '96. Jaime changed to Education sometime after that. I left school in the winter of my Junior year. She stayed and finished several degrees. She married the guy she started dating Sophomore year and they're still married! I liked him a lot. I have to admit that I was a little nervous about him when she introduced us Sophomore year, only because he immediately became a permanent part of our daily activities. I thought I would feel like a third wheel or that the dynamic between Jaime and I would change. It did change, but not for the worse. Eric was (and I'm sure still is) a life of the party kind of guy. He was the perfect host, even in his dorm room. We would have 15 people packed in there on a very regular basis and it was always clean, tidy and well stocked with snacks and adult beverages. He wasn't a theatre major, but we forgave him for that. He sang and enjoyed theatre, so we could still geek out and sing soundtracks of our favorite musicals together and it was not frowned upon. When my boyfriend and I broke up, Jaime and Eric were there. When I stressed out about changing my major, they were there. When I started suffering from a very deep depression, they tried to be there. I pushed them away.
So, now that we're all in very good places, I truly hope we will be real friends again. I've learned that life is too short to spend with people you don't really like. Instead, I'm hoping to rekindle a friendship that really shouldn't have died in the first place.
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