When Women Gather

Facebook is a wonderful thing.  It is how I kept track of my son while on his many tours in the middle east.  It allows me to see what my raviolis (grandchildren) are up to and communicate with family and friends that are scattered all over the world. 

Six weeks ago, I get a friend request from a high school friend that I haven't seen since the early 1970s.  She asked if I remembered her...how could I ever forget?  We facebooked back and forth, sharing old memories, and before I knew it, other friends came forth.  Great gals from Peachtree High School and we all graduated in 1972.  We were young, ambitious, star struck with what our futures held.  In short, we were smashing!

Long hair, short skirts or hot pants...that was the wardrobe of our day.  I even wore a pair of royal blue hotpants under my high school graduation gown.  It makes me giggle whenever I think about it. 

I had moved to the south in 1970 when I first met my neighbor, Lucy.  She introduced me to her friends, and I was welcomed into this group of southern girls.   They were all pretty and laughed easy and were smart and fun and God-fearing.  I was a loud, Yankee gal, a Kosher-Catholic, who would do anything on a dare.  I was comfortable with an opinion and loved an opportunity for....well for whatever.   I'm sure I was as much as an enigma to them as they were to me.

What fun we had in high school--boys, football games, cutting classes, rolling ex's houses, car-pooling to school with our parents cars.  Lucy, my neighbor and girlfriend; Gail, never without a bag of m&ms, always practicing her drill team routines anytime and everywhere; Janet, the yellow rose of Texas with a hint of the devil in her smile; Kim, tall and smart and always with a goal; and Theresa, a true southern belle and always dressed in the latest fashion.

All continue to live in the surrounding Atlanta counties.  Being the nomad in the group with 17 major moves all across the country and overseas, I had not seen many of these women since 1972.  As we all sat around Kim's dining room table bursting with good food and drink, it was Lucy and Janet who first asked me, "Dari, bring us up to date, what did you do after graduation?"  "Well, following graduation, I went home, picked up my baby sister and we drove to Dairy Queen for a Buster Bar."  The sound of their laughter was like gold and so I said, "Oh, you want more."  And so it went, sharing stories of our lives and learning we have so much in common.  Good marriages, not so good ones.  Children, grandchildren, loss of parents, some still going strong and those a bit fragile.  All of us hit by today's economy and how we cope and manage.  And then those gals that left our lives much to soon.  God be with you Robin and Cathy.  We shared photos and memories and stories, and so it goes when women gather.  Before we knew it the hours had passed by and it was time to return to our homes.

These magnificent women who are more beautiful today then they were a generation ago.  How I enjoyed watching each of you around the table as we shared our stories.   Kim, you have the smile of angels and a heart just as big. Thank you for opening your home and bringing all of us together.  Theresa, you haven't changed a bit girl and I wouldn't want it any other way.  Janet, that devil may care smile is still there and your eyes sparkle with no good.  Sit by me dear, you are definitely the gal who will get arrested with me.  Gail, your smile and heart continues to light up any room you enter and it is you I thank for seeking me out on Facebook.  Who knew?  Lucy, you were the soul that introduced me to these friendships.  You still carry that easy smile, that joyful laugh and the gentle heart you share with everyone.  The most common sensed of all of us, I know you will have Janet's and my bail money when we call.

I hope we will gather again, we still have stories and laughter to share. 

Blessings to you all and to those you love.  Dari (Sea Witch)