Nostalgia: The Best Time of My Life

In church today, Pastor Steve asked us to close our eyes and think about the happiest time we can remember, the best time of our life. Then he asked how many of us had people in our favorite moment. Most of the hands went up.

I also raised my hand. When I closed my eyes, my brain was briefly scanning through many, many good times. I've had a great life with awesome experiences. Some that came to mind were our family vacations, playing with the neighborhood kids in Florida, Christmases with family and friends, getting our pets, hiking with my dad, brother and sister, my sophomore year Spring Break trip, and many times over the last two years. It's almost a bit hard to choose, but my mind did rest on one thing.

The last half of my junior year was a great time. I had a lot of friends that were all concentrated in about three spots. My good friend Toni and I lived on the same hall, and we would always run over to two townhouses or one off-campus house and there would always be someone to hang out with. So many fun times.

It all ended in one awesome weekend. Graduation. It didn't start out so awesome. The night before graduation I went around saying hi to different people and hanging out. Around one or so I headed back to pack up my room. I had done the same thing last year, pack all night and check out of my room in the morning before graduation. I remembered around four in the morning that the year before my family had showed up at six to help me out. I had SO much to pack and no help on the way. I packed desperately and transferred all of my boxes into the hall. Thankfully I lived in a corner and the girl next to me had already left. The RA came to check me out at nine, but I wasn't quite ready. She came back at nine thirty and checked me out while I changed into my dress. Then I ran to graduation.

I was late, so I had to wait until all of the graduates had walked in to enter. Then I had to sit by myself, desperately trying to stay awake. As soon as the ceremony was over, I took some pictures with people and dashed back to my room. My RA told me that all of the boxes had to be out of the hall by twelve thirty. It was already eleven. I worked madly, carrying boxes down to the storage room two floor down and trying to coax them onto the top shelf, the only one left. Thankfully, my friends Hannah and Toni got done with their room around one and came over to help me. With all three of us working tirelessly, we managed to finish by three. Not twelve thirty, but oh well.

(Grad pics with friends. I managed to not look TOO tired)

At that point, I hadn't slept in about thirty hours and I hadn't eaten in about fourteen. Hannah drove us to get Subway and then we went to a beautiful sunny park to eat and lie in the grass. That was heaven.

That night, Hannah headed home and Toni and I spent the night at a friends. I went out to dinner with my brother at Tower BBQ (he paid) and then hung out the rest of the night with people. The next day we went caving at Devil's Den, making The Descent (movie) jokes the whole time. Caving was followed by pizza which was followed by hot chocolate and roasting marshmallows over a stovetop which was followed by watching and mocking the first Twilight movie which was followed by talk and sleep.

(We somehow avoided getting eaten and killing each other off while we were under the surface)

At times like that, I feel too happy. These people, this fun, it's too much blessing. This is a rather rambly, nostalgic post, but I seriously am amazed at how blessed I have been. Things aren't always sunshines and rainbows (I'm quoting someone who always says this but I can't remember who at the moment; sorry anonymous person) but I definitely remember way more good times than bad times.

Last year after MY graduation (another wonderful day), I wrote a song/poem about friends and graduation. I hadn't thought about it in a long time, but all of today's reminiscing brought it up. If you've already read it, you can just stop reading here. Hooray for friends. What are some of YOUR favorite memories? If you haven't read it and want to, here it is.

(Hanging out with a bunch of cool people after my graduation)

Just yesterday we sat one last time

pretending it wasn't the end.

We talked all night

with faces of light

grasping at minutes that melted away.

These last several years full of moments we've shared

can it really have all slipped away?

Of dances and walks

a thousand great talks

Now memories are all that I have.

Sometimes they seem to fade with the miles

but what will always remain

all of us there,

for a moment no cares,

just laughter and ice cream and sun in our hair.

This is goodness, this is life,

friends more dear than the world.

The times we've had,

the simple, the sad,

And the joy that covered it all.