Old Friends

We sat on the porch drinking coffee and talking about the health conditions our parents are experiencing. I guess we’re adults now.

The four of us became fast friends working at a summer camp thirty years ago. No matter how loosely we’ve stayed in touch over the years, our occasional get-togethers are the breezy kind where you fall into easy conversation like no time has passed.

Out of the four of us, only one has kids. Their British accents still surprise me and make them sound more grown up than any of the adults on the porch.

Earlier in the week the kids explored the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens. Now, they were shocked to learn that one of the old folks sitting on the porch with their mum and telling boring stories had built one of their favorite elements at the Gardens, the Fairy House Village. As they stood with their mouths agape, trying to make sense of this new information, I felt a little like a celebrity.

That project brings mixed feelings for me. It was the first big thing I designed and built. Momentous at the time, it never quite lived up to the lofty expectations I had for it. A lot of time has passed. I’d do it differently now. I’d make different choices. I hope that means I’ve grown.

All of us on that porch have grown since our Camp K days. We’re lucky to strike the balance of embracing those changes while basking in the glow of nostalgia.