Friendships That Pass the Test of Time

When I emigrated to the United States in 1995, I said goodbye to two girlfriends from school. I meet one of them (U.) during all of my visits to the Old Country. The other one (N.) emigrated to Australia soon after I left Germany. Over the years we kept in touch sporadically via mail, and most recently, emails around Christmas time. N. was only one of two girls who accompanied me through 13 years of school.
When I recently learned that N. was on an extended visit to Germany, I did not hesitate very long to book a flight. After all, I had intended to visit my family this summer anyway. Moving my trip up a couple of months not only saved me a lot of money, but it also gave me an opportunity to celebrate two family birthdays. Meeting N. again was the "icing" on the (strawberry) cake.
After enjoying several reunions with my friends from school days I am thrilled that the bonds I formed in childhood can and do last a lifetime. And what better way to reconnect than sharing some cake while perusing old photos and discussing our favorite - and least favorite - teachers.