Reminiscing

So, my self-esteem got a bit of a boost last night. I went out for an adult beverage with my sister and I was asked where I went to school (as in college) by more than one person. I was blown away. At one point during the night we were even asked which one of us was older. Mind you, she is nine years younger than I am. I was pretty excited about it all to tell you the truth. Especially considering all of my bickering and complaining about getting "old".

I have to return for a moment to the issue of age. Earlier in the evening we had gone to a high school basketball game at our alma matter. I am almost certain that the last time I was in the gym was about five years ago when my sister graduated and the last time I had gone to a game there was when I was still a student. It was almost too much fun! We saw old teachers and how much they had changed. We saw a few people that we went to school with too. But, the biggest shock was when I heard the name of the little brother of an old boyfriend called as one of the players. He was a baby in diapers when I had seen him last and there he was running back-and-forth on the hardwood. The incident certainly reminded me of my age and that time goes on.

I was also a great scrap book saver when I was a kid. I pulled out six scrapbooks ranging from elementary school through college that I had stored at my parents while we were in Germany. I think I spent an entire afternoon this week looking through them. I am amazed at how much crap I saved. I have old chewing gum, parts of flowers, streamers from dances containing lists of who I danced with, and many more amusing artifacts. I even have this question and answer sheet from my "pen pal" cousin in NC that I am sure she would love to see.

It is great fun to look back on all of these old memories every now and then. Many of them have shaped who I am today. And, as I get older it is sad for me to go by an old park that was a total refuge for me while I was growing up and see how run down it has become. And, see that the convenience store that I rode my bike to for penny candy has been torn down. I could go on for hours about this subject because I grew up in the same small town where my parents still live, but I won't.