As Things Change, They Stay The Same

Last night I invited a very old friend back into my life, opened my home to her and introduced her to my children. It was an encounter I'd been anticipating for awhile, knowing she was relocating to my city, but at the same time something I was approaching with a degree of apprehension. We became friends in elementary school and our friendship persevered though high school and half-heartedly into our university years. We went to each others' weddings and maintained a very sporadic contact over the ensuing years. Eventually we mostly lost touch, but got back in contact last year when she deployed to Afghanistan. I worried that the ease of friendship we shared as teenagers would not survive our transition into adulthood--that things would be awkward and uncomfortable. The last 10 years have held a lot of changes for both of us--what if we no longer shared common ground?

I should have known better.

Last night was a wonderful chance to catch up on each others' lives--an opportunity to share the many changes we've experienced and appreciate where we are now. It felt as though we picked up wherever we left off so many years ago. I can feel quite content in saying my door is open to her anytime she decides to come and knock.

The kids are already asking when she'll be coming by again. ;)