Why Do We Remember?

Tonight, we gathered with 13 or so friends from high school. It has been 17 years since we walked in our Docksides and Argyles, listened to The Cars on our Walkmans, drove our Firebirds, and solved our Rubik's Cubes. In other words, MUCH has changed. At the same time though, a lot hasn't. The loud ones are still loud (I should know...I'm one of those), the smart ones still smart, the funny ones still funny.

Undoubtedly, the most popular word spoken all night was "Remember" and it was usually followed by "that time when" or "that guy who". I can't help but wonder why those memories are recalled every time we get together. Why do we value remembering the names and telling the stories the way we do? NONE of what we said had any eternal value really. All were good for a quick laugh or a moment of nostalgia. What makes us do that???

I guess it has something to do with the fact that we share all those memories and names and events and experiences. I've lived in places none of those folks have or ever will. They've been educated in ways and have professions that I never will. What we share, we seem to feel free to speak about. Few would care if I started to spout about Ethnotheology and I would be equally bored if they brought up Constitutional Law. I'm glad we share what we do. Even so, I look forward to sharing more with them in the future.

I was also accused tonight by one dear friend of not having a controversial enough blog. Hmmm. How to respond to that...

One plus one is NOT two, no matter what you say!

Nah, I don't think that is what she meant....