Our long awaited reunion came and went. Has it really been over 40 years since we walked out of the school gate as graduates? When we were seniors, we vowed to meet up soon and to definitely have a big reunion 20 years later when we all turned about 38. I remember vividly how the number 38 sounded so foreign and we all laughed when somebody vocalized the silent doubt in her mind of "Can we still walk at such an old age?"

We did meet when we were 38ish, reconvening from around the world, with some of us our munchkins in tow. We met in our old cafeteria and happily reminisced.

Several smaller reunions have happened since, but our official major reunion was designed to be when our youngest in the class turned 60. Sixty! That is legally an age labeled a "senior citizen"!
The doubt of, "can we really walk" was certainly an appropriate concern this time around.

So were we able to walk?
Yes, yes, and no.
Yes, we walked to meet at the school gate and rejoiced at seeing each other.
Yes, we walked and walked around the campus, ahhing and wooing at the new additions to our school.
AND no, we didn't walk. We DANCED! We ballet-ed elegantly, raising our fatigued legs, giggling like we did 40 years ago.

The campus changed, reflecting the change of times. Overtly, the classmates changed. With our wrinkles and all, some of us failed to recognize each other. Yet, through the giggles and laughter emerged our old selves…that, we recognized for sure.

We all already lived the majority of our adult lives. At 60, some of us are electing to slow down, some are having to overcome circle-of-life challenges, and some are taking on new hobbies and purposes. The girls who grew up together and graduated as class of 1980 had spread their wings and accomplished what they had set out to do during all these years apart.

Whatever walks of life we had all taken, what still connects today are our unity as sisters. We vow to remain considerate and thoughtful to maintain our unity. Those of us who could physically meet for reunion met on campus as reunion #1. Those who could join virtually, joined via reunion #Zoom. Those who could only join in the evening met as reunion #2. Those who could only meet on a weekday met as reunion #3. At each gathering, we honored those who could not be present in any of these events and recalled the fun memories we shared as girls.

Afterall, isn't life all about memories?
We all shared a huge part of our childhood memories together at Saint Maur. We then have our individual life memories as adults. Wouldn't it be a gem if we can start creating memories together again at our mature stage of life?

We may be "seniors" in age, but when we meet up, we remain the bubbly girls we once were as the class of 1980.

We are sisters forever.