Ladies Who Lunch

Ladies who Lunch

I just finished a lunch with two girlfriends from high school. It has been a decade since I have hung out with one of them, and more than that since the last time the three of us have been together. I expected a certain degree of awkwardness. How does one fill in ten years worth of time in one August afternoon? How does one marry the ideas of high school and adulthood? I have difficulties, sometimes, coming to the realization of my own responsibility, and "grownup-ness", so how in the world do I accept this reality in two people who forever will be etched in my mind as high school friends?
My one friend is now an activist, who, like my sister, has decided to take on the woes of the modern world, and make their difference slowly but surely. She has married a man she truly admires, and is continuing her education. I am fascinated by hearing her speak, all the while thinking of her 15 years ago. She was once the whirlwind in my life. The one who could leave you breathless, both from laughter and from awe. She listened to Two Live Crew when I was still listening to Michael Jackson. She smoked early, swore early, and the older kids always thought she was cool. She used to intimidate me, and make me feel like I was uncool. So now, I am seeing her as an adult, and it is inspiring. My other friend was my party friend. She threw parties when we were in middle school, was at every party ever thrown. She knows embarrassing things about me that even I am too ashamed to admit. We used to make towering ice cream sundaes to pass Saturday Nights.
Both of these girls were once my best friends. We passed notes, we giggled and had horrible knockdown, dragout fights. We got in trouble together, we cried, and we even danced the running man at dances once upon a time. So I anticipated this tense exchange...and there was none. We spent a beautiful afternoon laughing, reminiscing, and gossiping ( perhaps a little too much, to my glee) I watched them speak as women, and saw them as girls. Maybe we could do this more often, and include other friends, or maybe this was a once in a lifetime opportunity. I am glad for it. Friends like these are another facet of the diamond that is my life.