Of Belles & Reunions

[catelin]

Back from my 20th high school reunion. I say mine, but I moved away my senior year. Just as I was deciding that I wouldn't go to the reunion of the school from which I actually graduated, the reunion organizers from my would-have-been alma mater made a point to invite me to the Acadiana reunion. You may not have graduated with us, but you are always one of us. You have to come. No other option. Those girls. They still never cease to amaze me. I am so glad that I went. It was fabulous. Better than fabulous. It was one of those magnificent nights where I looked at these girls-become-women, some of whom I'd kept in touch with and some of whom I'd lost over the years, and everything fell away from us. The years fell away, the petty squabbles, the awkward distances created by the different directions we chose. It all simply fell away and what we were left with was love and a firm unspoken understanding of how strong we all are. We've all suffered great losses and had great happiness. I am tempted to tell our secrets tonight, but I won't. Not now, and not so obviously. That's simply not the southern way. And above all, I realized that we are very much southern women---no matter how hard we may have railed against it. We smile when we speak of the unspeakable things that have happened to us, even as our eyes fill with tears at the telling and hearing of them. Our gentle smiles, nods, and hand-holding may seem trite and silly to an outsider. One unfamiliar with our histories might not recognize these as reminders to ourselves that we all survived the ugliness of the unexpected, of deaths, of losses and betrayals. We survived every wound, every heartbreak...even the self-inflicted ones. We remind ourselves with our laughter that we still choose to willfully revel in the sublime beauty of this life. I love these girls, every one of us with our quirks and stories. I loved all of us twenty years ago and I love all of us still.

Comments

[ginnymarie.livejournal.com]

That is absolutely beautiful. And beautifully written.

[catelin.livejournal.com]

Thanks! : ) It was a really great weekend and I'm changed in all sorts of good ways from it.

[lolliejean.livejournal.com]

Ya Ya. :) The sisterhood is good.

[catelin.livejournal.com]

Now how did I know that you'd know exactly what I was talking about here?
Ya Ya, indeed! : )

Aw.

[buscemi.livejournal.com]

Now I'm getting verklempt.

Was there a red velvet cake shaped like an aardvark? :)

Re: Aw.

[catelin.livejournal.com]

Ha!! I wish! You know, red velvet cake is what my grandmother made for my birthday every year. I wonder what it is about that cake. ; )

[tsarina.livejournal.com]

We smile when we speak of the unspeakable things that have happened to us, even as our eyes fill with tears at the telling and hearing of them. Our gentle smiles, nods, and hand-holding may seem trite and silly to an outsider.

Ah. That's put so well. Indeed.

[catelin.livejournal.com]

We know what it means. : ) Hey, if I get done with my trial early enough next week, you want to come for lunch?

Re:

[tsarina.livejournal.com]

Yes, that would be grand. Let me know, and I'll beg borrow or steal a car.

[shigolch.livejournal.com]

And it looks like you got some wine out of it, too!

*hiccup!*

[catelin.livejournal.com]

Ah, yes, the ripple flowed freely. *blech* I'm a tequila girl anyway. ; )

[ex-muzer409.livejournal.com]

You are all so gorgeous. And your hair, that curl, that color!

[catelin.livejournal.com]

Thanks! : ) I was really surprised at how great everybody looked.

[daisydumont.livejournal.com]

what a pleasure it was to read this! love the photo. i don't think i've seen any of the girls i was best friends with in college for almost 30 years. probably won't again. my loss! i'm happy that you enjoyed it so much. :)

[catelin.livejournal.com]

It was such a thrill to have everyone all in one place for a change. There's just something really great about getting a group of gals together like that...it creates a wonderful energy.

[jourdannex.livejournal.com]

What a beautiful photograph Catelin. You can see the laughter and tears and love in everyones eyes. You can so clearly see the bond.

I am so glad you had a great time.


And I have never had red velvet cake, dammit. I shall have to remedy this!

[catelin.livejournal.com]

Thanks! And you MUST have red velvet cake!! Although I can't think of anywhere to tell you to look for it out there. It's wonderful!!!

[iamkatia.livejournal.com]

You all look sooooo beautiful and sooooo happy!! What an uplifting post! xx

[catelin.livejournal.com]

I got some gawgeous girlfriends! : )

the hand holding, indeed

[bizetsy.livejournal.com]

I am covered in goosebumps. And so happy for you.

Re: the hand holding, indeed

[catelin.livejournal.com]

Girls rule.

[wretchmuffin.livejournal.com]

This is beautiful and envy-inducing; I want to be a woman like you, like this. Thanks for this post.

[catelin.livejournal.com]

I suspect many of us, including you, m'dear, are women like this. We just forget what we are sometimes is all. ; )

[chaizzilla.livejournal.com]

one of the most intense idioms i almost picked up from living in texas is "bless your/their/etc heart". it's very flexible.

[catelin.livejournal.com]

Flexible is right! It can vary in meaning from "I really love him to pieces" to "He's such a fucking moron that he needs to die a very slow painful death." I love that phrase!