Saturday night after the Homecoming hockey game I went to the bar that I so often used to frequent in college.
I went there with two friends of mine, the first two of all my friends to get married after college. I absolutely adore them, and realized as we sat there, how great it is to have married friends.
Not to say I don’t love my single friends but it’s a little different when Hubs is around – single friends get to bring out my inner single gal – the gal I sometimes love to miss, the one who dances, sings karaoke, and laughs with no worries.
I do all those things with married friends too, but again, it’s different. Not bad different, but different.
There’s something about good conversations in dark bars, toasting to friendship and “happy husky victories” and enjoying the company. Completely different from partying with no abandon, not really generating conversation aside from asking what you want to drink next.
Talking to Hubs on the ride home yesterday, I realized that while it wasn’t what I had hoped, I had a great night. I didn’t get to see everyone, but I can’t relive it. We all have lives – houses, husbands, boyfriends, jobs, and sometimes staying out late on a Saturday night isn’t always in the plan.
My married friends hung out till about 11:30, almost 12ish. We ran into another pal of mine and chatted for a while, him and Hubs got along splendidly discussing their plans to take the CT political scene by storm some day. Pal and I also realized, he’s in the same grad program (different campus) that I’m trying to get into! Huzzah!
But, I can’t recreate the memories of yore. The fun ones, the ones that keep me smiling when I look at pictures with inebriated smiles, hear certain songs and pass by certain landmarks in Boston. At some point, we move on, we grow up and sometimes, it happens whether we really like it or not.
My life is in Connecticut now. Coming home after stopping for dinner with the in-laws, was comforting and relieving. I haven’t gotten used to the fact that I don’t see the giant, beautiful dome in the DC Skyline anymore, but there’s something nice about knowing that I’m in what a friend of mine has dubbed “Empowerment City, USA.” I am empowered, I’ve taken back my future, put behind my past and learned that while this past year has been tough, it’s been a year of love, learning and growth. I got married! We moved closer to good friends and family! While I miss the girls I left behind in DC, I miss them so much it makes my heart hurt sometimes, I know that they’re only a train ride away. After all, my friends in Boston are still there, and I left. Friendships are stronger than distance, and as I read a card that was fabulous to come home from, I realized that no matter where I go? I know I have incredible, brilliant, and amazing people surrounding me.
At some point I stopped living in my past, and it just took this weekend to fully realize it. But the future? I’m finally welcoming it with open arms.
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that’s how i felt last weekend when i went back to my college town, though i wasn’t there with all my college friends, it was just amazing to be back and wonder about campus and town and remember the memories and laugh about the crazy. and to know that they will always be there!
yay for everything going well in conn!