Crew

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Well, well, well...now there's a blast from the past!

I've had the pleasure of knowing these gals for pretty much my entire life, and I'm lucky enough to still call every one of them my friends.

Growing up together, we were so fortunate to have so many get-togethers with our families. There were always boundless kids running around, playing backyard games of kickball and getting into all kinds of other nonsense. Each family had a minimum of three kids, so the children always outnumbered the adults by far, and what a blast we had!

Every Christmas Eve, my parents hosted a big party and invited the same crew: the Ashleys, Campbells, Records, and Simshausers, all coming together to celebrate the holiday. The Moffitts were usually part of our extended little gang too, although they must have had other plans for the holidays because somehow they missed these particular gatherings.

Back then, I don't think any of us kids gave much thought to just how special those days were. We were simply having fun, running around the yard, laughing, and enjoying the magic of having all our families together. But looking back now, I realize that while the adults were busy creating traditions, they were also giving us something much bigger: friendships and connections that would follow us through life.

Of course, life goes on. Families change, people move away, kids grow up, and the years somehow start passing faster than any of us would like. We marry, divorce, raise families of our own, build careers, and experience all the ups and downs that life inevitably throws our way. We've also had to say goodbye to some of the parents who were part of those wonderful memories, while checking in on the health and happiness of the ones we are fortunate enough to still have with us.

But somehow, the bonds created all those years ago have managed to stand the test of time.

So here we are...all grown up, sitting around a table and enjoying one another's company every bit as much as we ever did. Now, instead of talking about kickball games and whatever nonsense we could get ourselves into, we're catching up on our families, sharing stories, remembering the people we've lost, and laughing about the memories that somehow feel like they happened both yesterday and a lifetime ago.

There's something incredibly comforting about sitting at a table with people who have known you forever. They know your backstory. They remember who you were before you became who you are today. They've seen the different chapters of your life unfold, and somehow, through it all, they still love you without requiring an explanation for every twist and turn along the way.

People can move away. Life can get busy. We can raise kids, change jobs, get married, get divorced, and sometimes go far too long without seeing one another. But having a core group of people who feel a little like home makes all the struggles and changes in life just a little easier to navigate.

And maybe that's the real gift of growing up surrounded by good people. Long after the backyard games are over, the Christmas Eve parties have changed, and the kids have all grown up, the connections remain. We may not see one another every day, or even every year, but when we do, we somehow pick right back up where we left off.

Because some friendships aren't just part of your past...they become part of the foundation of your life. And no matter how much time passes, there will always be something pretty special about finding your way back to the people who knew you when.

“There are friendships imprinted in our hearts that will never be diminished by time and distance.” — Dodinsky