As I mentioned last week, I went to my 20th college reunion this past weekend. I went with three girlfriends that I hadn’t seen in years. Two flew in from the West Coast, and we all drove down together.
I was actually dreading going because college wasn’t my best time in life. But I ended up having an amazing time. For two days and nearly two nights — we talked non stop. We reminisced, we laughed, we shared and best of all, we got a break from the demanding job of raising kids.
Somehow, I’d only remembered the bad parts of college — those that left me feeling less than proud  — and forgotten a lot of the good. Together we helped each other remember the fun times, and we groaned through the things we’ve tried to forget. We were amazed at how little we’d all changed but were also amazed at how much we’d all managed to accomplish.
Late Saturday night at a final reception, we fell into a deep conversation with a woman attending her 30th reunion. In the school’s dining hall with a band blaring in the background, she somehow managed to impress on us how important it is to work at your marriage even when you don’t feel like it, to love your children with all your heart and make sure they know that, and to surround yourself with girlfriends.
It’s amazing how one dreaded weekend away could have such an impact. It gave me the chance to relive the past and move on to the future with a new perspective.