Happy Days

     Procrastinator:  this would be me.  Not that I put things off in every situation, but in the case of "spring cleaning", well,.. it's almost fall, and I've yet to fill the first garbage bag.  For quite some time now, Mom has been asking me to go through the numerous boxes of high school papers and memorabilia I've kept stored in the garage since graduation.  The new year, 2013, will mark seven years since the close of my high school years, or what I'd like to call the "happy days".  Not that life isn't joyous and fun where I am at the present, but those days were nothing short of wonderful; full of friendship and happiness, laughter and tears, drama, and growth... in more ways than one.  Yes, there was heartache and heartbreak.  Girl and boy troubles, day-in and day-out.  Rumors and white lies.  But most importantly: memories, that will be cherished forever. 

     I've thought about this numerous times:  if there was one thing I could say to each of those in my senior class, it would be this: "thank you".  Thank you for deep friendship, that to this day when I look back on, still brings a smile to my face. Thank you for high school "drama", which taught me not to sweat the small stuff.  For the times I learned to laugh at myself, along with everyone else, (like during the talent show when my microphone wasn't "on" and I managed to sound just like Faith Hill):  thank you.  Thank you for all the basketball games you cheered, or for sitting in the student section, wearing maroon and gold. The Beta Club skits, Homecoming floats, and numerous pranks we played, and racing to the cafeteria for taco salad day.  For the days we thought we epitomized what it was to be grunge/punk rock-n-rollers, with our black fingernail polish and Linkin Park CDs:  thank you!   And how could I forget, all those nightly poolside "Laguna Beach" chats:  thank you for those, too. Thank you for fusses that didn't amount to "a hill of beans" and arguments that made our friendship grow stronger. For first kisses, second chances, "I'm sorry's" and "I love you's".  To every single classmate, boy and girl, a "thank you" is due; for my so-called "happy days" are made up of memories of you.
     There honestly isn't a day I regret, nor a memory I'd erase when it comes to those years.  So today, as I began going through the stacks of notebooks, birthday cards, and old photos... what was to be a day devoted to autumn cleaning quickly became a day of sweet reminiscing.
     Just days ago, when thinking about some friends I hadn't seen or talked with in a while, I jotted down this statement in my journal:

..."The reality is: people change. They grow; they go their separate ways. But I do believe, friendship lasts forever. Even though a time may come when you no longer know one another's secrets, and you don't see the other everyday. In your heart the love for that friend remains, and they'll forever be a part of you."  

                            
      I find it so fitting for this day of reminiscing.  Tomorrow's supposed to be cleaning day 2.  Not sure how much I'll get accomplished, but I can't wait to see what other memories await me.  And as for my fellow classmates, my friends:  wherever each of them may be, I hope they are living out their dreams.  And I hope that if they ever think of me, there's a "happy day" that's linked to the memory.