The First Purdue Reunion
8.10.2008
And this is today (circa 2008):
As I see it now, my entire freshman year of college involved me raiding my roommate Stefanie's closet, dressing up in strange combinations of clothing, and then romping through the hallways of our dorm catwalk style to music I would no doubt have blaring on my stereo. Or me dancing on my chair to Prince or The Dixie Chicks for an audience of three. Or literally making murals all over the campus at night with chalk & inspirational quotes for people to enjoy the next day. This is what I chose to do rather than drink at fraternities. Sometimes I wonder if maybe alcohol would have normalized me. Still not sure.
Stefanie is my dad's best friend's daughter who grew up in Indiana. We were born a month apart (I being much cooler and thus, born first. Sucka.) Somewhere there is a picture of our mothers pregnant together. We call ourselves womb sisters when we are in comfortable company. Actually, when together, everyone else in the room really doesn't matter. We tend to err on the boisterous side as evidenced by almost every picture we are in together. The very first week of freshman year, Kari, Stefanie, Abby, and I bonded with Mark & Randy by hitting the campus dressed in chaps, some kind of animal head gear, singing into hair dryers, and parading around with sock puppets on our hands.
Last night I got together with Stef & Kari (who now lives in Georgia) and the gut busting giggles crescendoed throughout the evening. Reminiscing all the times that we snuck around thinking we were super sleuths with flashlights in the dark or driving around in Lauren's BMW in just underwear & antennae. Sometimes it is good to remember one year of your life in a colorful, vibrant intensity: so many things happen in college that create who you are and what perceptions you gain on life. I am so fortunate that I found crazy like-minded souls that year to play & laugh hysterically with on a daily/ nightly basis. I love you both.
Sometimes I think, this would be a perfect moment if so-and-so were here to make it fun or insightful or inspiring. And I am trying something new. What if I was all I needed? (Not that I want to be an island- that is not the point at all.) What if I knew that as long as I were someplace with me, things would be good? What if I trusted (and loved) myself that much? Then every colorful, wonderful being that chose to join me in life was just icing on the cake? Together we would be nuclear energy bursting.
This song makes me love the idea of love & want to dance around singing it:
Say Hey (I love you) by Michael Franti & the Spearheads
And this song makes me think of you:
Peace Love & Understanding by Elvis Costello