Lasting friendships

My most memorable experiences during my trip to Germany were several reunions with old friends. While the friends certainly aren't old yet, our friendships are--in years at least. Some of them go all the way back to kindergarten, which begins at age 3 in Germany. So, we're talking decades here. One girlfriend in particular is my trusty driver and almost always available for a dinner date.
My visits to the old country provide a perfect opportunity for a get-together. In fact, my friends don't usually meet unless I'm coming. The exception was last year when my business school mates organized their first ever reunion without me. I saw photos, of course. I was therefore thrilled that seven of us could get together during my recent visit. It amazes me what great memories some people have. "Do you remember our trip to...?" Blank stares were my only answer since I didn't recollect that trip at all. Although we had parted ways at age 16 and our lives took us in many different directions, it did not matter. We soon chatted away as if we met regularly.
After school, I joined a club where my brother was also a member. When everybody started a family, the club folded but a couple of years ago they started to meet again every three to four months, each time at a different restaurant. This time they organized a meeting during my stay. Again, the words "do you remember" echoed from the walls as we recollected funny or embarrassing moments from our trips together. As we talked away the hours, I wondered in disbelief whether it had really been twenty years since we sat together just like this. Of course, life has left its mark on all of us. Some of us had to endure serious illnesses or surgeries while others struggled to find a job. Yet, for one evening we were transported back to our youth which is probably why people go to reunions in the first place. May we all have many more reunions to celebrate!