Revisiting the Past

I'm just home from 10 days spent with both my family and my in-laws. It was lovely (and no, I'm not just saying that because my family regularly reads this blog!), and in hindsight it taught me something really important, something I'd been missing for a while. Simply put, it taught me that my past is a good thing.

When Ed and I made the choice to move to Virginia, we did so hoping for a fresh start. We were both ready to shed our skins and try out a oh-so-slightly different life. We'd been married a year and both just knew it was time for a change. However, for me change is a tricky thing. I like change, a lot, but it often results in me forgetting the past, who I was and the people/places that I enjoyed. I began to view my life pre-VA as a foggy mess, something that was no longer important. I still loved the bar where Ed and I met, and the people we were friends with, but it almost felt like I had outgrown that life.
Then, on this trip home, a few things happened. I saw one of my best friends from high school and realized how much I really like her - not just because she was my friend, but because she is my friend. Do we talk all the time? No - but she's in my mind often, and seeing how happy she is now in her life made me so, so happy. That friendship, dating back for years and years, still matters to me. I plan on keeping in touch with her in a more consistent way (and she reads this, so now I'm committed!! )

I also got to spend time with my brother, who lives in LA-la land. I usually only get to see him for a day or two each year, but we got a bonus three days together this summer. Watching him with my little guy, goofing around and teaching him about Ewoks was just magic. I realized how he and I are still the same goof balls we were back in childhood, just with a few extras thrown in. I loved him so much as a girl, and was so proud to be his big sister - and it turns out I still feel the same. We're still connected, even if we don't see each other often - family, and our shared past, are still important.

I'm rambling a bit, but the point is that I realized where I came from, and the places and people I loved, can still matter to me, even if I'm not the same person I was when I lived them. And that strengthens me as I look to the future - it's like being armed with a secret weapon.

Thank you to all of you who have armed me so well.