A High School Reunion with my Girlfriends

Back at the end of January I got to meet up with my high school girlfriends.

The ones who were with me through thick and thin through those high school years.

So good to walk into their open arms. There were nine of us, would have been ten but I missed Sarah by a day, and the other Sara left by the time we took that photo up there.

Here she is in the middle of this one:

There’s yet another Sarah who goes by Sam who couldn’t make it. Missed you Sam and Cath!

Oh gosh, I have so much gratitude spilling out of me for these women who have shaped me and taught me through thick and thin as we have all hit valleys and peaks in so many different ways through all these years. They still teach me so much every time we gather.

An Airport pick-up

Ok but first I have to document my arrival because my parents came to pick me up in their snazzy rental convertible at the airport.

Oh they are the dearest and funniest and wisest people I know.

They whisked me off to the land of Makawao where I got to see my niece Elsie (above) and roosters and the place they were staying for a bit. We talk, talk, talked a mile a minute and it felt so good to catch up. They took me all the way to Wailea and came in to say hi to my friends, and we got to see my brother Jo who met us there too.

They are all just so filled up with light and goodness.

Loved them even more (if that’s even possible) as a few friends brought up how much they helped shape them their growing-up years in later discussions.

Caring adults can really make a difference. Do we realize this when we hang and interact with our kids’ friends? It renewed that realization for me.

High School Reunion

Then on to the high school reunion.

We ran to Thompson Road to take in all the sunset beauty. One lady who was walking by was a photographer and offered to take a picture told us to pose this way, ha!

The light was so gorgeous.

And the views!

And then went to dinner, all of us so loud at a back table at the General Store.

Under those swaying palm trees we just sat and talked, walked and talked, ate and talked, drove and talked. So grateful my friend Marie is such a gatherer and got us all there for that second time (last time was two years ago).

Nothing like being cradled in connection with people who are so safe. This catching up leads not only to inspiration and regrouping, but to exposed vulnerabilities, which in turn leads to more love spilling out. I love who we are all still becoming. And to reminisce all the things that have brought us here.

Talking through the hard and the good all mixed together.

Turtles!

Maureen set up a whale watching boat ride, and we were so excited we were actually going to be on little rafts, right next to those abundant whales we could see jumping around from the shore. Sadly, our little whale watching was canceled right as we walked up to the beach to board the boat (high swells).

It was crazy to watch those boats trying to get into the shore from earlier whale watching. Those swells were no joke!

We watched the whales from the shore the next day though and it was pretty incredible.

Such gorgeous displays from Mother Earth!

I was a little frantic to fit in all the catch-up in my short 2 ½ days I got to be there, but I think we all crammed it all in pretty well. All up early talking around the kitchen island, speed walking through the glory of the earth, driving while marveling at rainbows and how the light hit the lushness of those deep-wrinkled Hawaiian mountains, late-night talking all snuggled up in the master bedroom deep about how to be more inclusive, how to love more.

Love those incredible women!

It was a pretty grand reunion with my three-musketeers and Bo, who all met me at the airport.