Reunions bring to the surface thoughts, memories and feelings that one would normally compartmentalize and store much like seasonal clothing. All these emotions come rushing to the forefront when one is faced with seeing ex-roommates, ex-boyfriends/ex-girlfriends and classmates with whom you once had strong all-encompassing friendships but with the passage of time and the natural evolution of life, have faded and dissipated into thin air. 

Unlike my high school years, I had a very close circle of friends and sadly, one of my college roommates had passed away days before our last reunion. I was too distraught and inconsolable to even consider attending at the time so this reunion was the first one without her. 

What eased the sadness and void were two high school and college friends who made the trek out to LA and stopped by our home for a pre-reunion toast. With many years behind us, it was hard for me to remember who we each were in high school, but I still had some fuzzy memories of our fun times in college. When I saw them, they looked exactly the same with just a few more years of experience and life behind them. 

Being back on college grounds jogged my memory, resurfacing the eager and naive ghost of my youth. Memories of sharing close cramped quarters, rotating kitchen and dinner responsibilities, pulling all nighters, simultaneously dealing with exams and heartbreaks came flooding back.

What I learned from on-campus and college life was the value and necessity of late night chats, on-campus socials and spontaneous late night group outings. The bonds we created and the lessons we learned from those experiences were equally as important as the actual education we received during those formative years.

Some of us have kept in touch over the years but seeing some of the people who were in my circle of friends made me smile and warmed my heart.

Though our time together was short and sweet, I am reminded that it is important to stay connected, to have real and meaningful conversations with friends and loved ones.

As life has shown us in recent years, there are no guarantees in longevity and time is a luxury we cannot afford to waste.