NOW AND THEN

Just A Girl And Her Bike

They say you can't go home again, but I have proven "them" wrong for decades now.

Valli

For every time I fly to Cincinnati, I not only go home, I revel in home. Inhale it. Drink it all in.

Going home, for me, is a giant, soul-deep hug. A comforting blanket of great memories that I gladly, thankfully, wrap myself up in the minute my plane lands.

7822 Buckeye Crescent

Granted, both my parents are long gone...my actual childhood home, my house on Buckeye Crescent, is inhabited by people I don't know...and, of course, the Cincinnati suburb I grew up in -- Madeira -- looks completely different than what it did when I lived there.


But none of that matters because the absolute best part of my growing up years -- my friends -- are either still there, or they make it a point to be there, or they are there in spirit, whenever I go home.

Tirsh, Mik, Nel and Heis, 15th Class Reunion

And no matter how old we are when we gather together after a long time apart -- in our 20s, 30s, 40s and now, gulp, our 50s -- our inner 10-to-18-year-old selves instantly reappear, giggling, smiling and guffawing.

It's so therapeutic crossing that sentimental bridge from now to back then. Such a grand celebration, an awesome testament, to the miracle of life-long friendship!

It's The Wonder Years, Glory Days and Golden Girls all wrapped into one big, beautiful, damn-it's-good-to-be-together-again grin!

Ann and Nan

Indeed, the older we get, the more precious our time together each summer. And summer seems to be our favorite season to meet. Reunion season.

So we reunite and our invincible summers, sometimes overshadowed by disheartening winters, shine through brightly once more.

Me and Linda Lee

Yes, somehow, no matter what tough issues or heartbreak life has tossed our way over the years -- and trust me, collectively we have faced and endured it all -- we manage to push the bad stuff aside and set free yet again our once-upon-a-time, care-free, bike-riding, diary-keeping, let's-go-toilet-papering, happy-go-lucky younger selves, still alive, thriving, and locked safely within our hearts.

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

It's just like a scene from "Now And Then", that heartwarming, spot-on  BFF movie from several years back. We catch up on our "now" and gleefully relive our "then".

And once more our special Friends Forever bond is magically strengthened.