Nostalgia

It's 12:35 at night. I run out the front door to pull my car into the garage and am hit with a wave of memories. It freezes me. I stand still, taking in the moment, closing my eyes to replay the past. The clear, star filled sky, the temperature, the time of night. A scene I have taken in so many times before, but never having been thrown into reminiscence. A smile unconsciously spreads across my face as I continue walking to my car. Barefoot on the asphalt, I carefully choose my steps. My memories swimming to the warm nights of meeting outside my house, sitting in the back of the truck, watching for shooting stars and laughing about all the silly high school people and classes. The constant swatting of mosquitoes and spur of the moment decision to drive to the quarter pop machines, singing country music all the way there. Pushing nickels and dimes into the coin slot and then not even drinking the pop we chose. Just going for the ride. Living in happiness and fun, enjoying good company.

(PC - writteninthemidst )

It's 6:00 in the evening, and my doorbell rings. Dad is in the kitchen preparing to make dinner, and my siblings are arguing about unimportant things. I get up and walk to the door. Upon opening it, I'm pleasantly surprised to see two handsome boys of whom I've known for the longest time. The unexpected company of two of the most incredible best friends I've ever had. Naturally, I let them in with a warm hug, and take them into my living room. The sound of laughter begins bouncing off every wall, the guitar strings constantly being plucked, and singing at the top of their lungs. They sing and sing and I can't help but fall in love with the moment, realizing this would be one of the last for a couple of years. They stay for dinner (they always showed up at dinner time...) and we reminisce. Reminisce about the freaky looking tiki statue they brought home for me from their trip to Hawaii (it was the God of Fertility... like, what the heck?), about the time they took me 'coning' for the first time up at the high school, and about how they were leaving to serve missions. The daylight had slowly faded away, and I forced them to take a picture with me before they headed home. Oh, how they hated it, but I didn't care. I loved them, and I wanted that night to last forever.

It's 5:50 p.m. and I'm sitting at work, counting down the minutes until I can close. I've laughed with people, helped pick out super cute outfits (that I wish were going into my closet instead) for people, and talked with some of my dearest lifelong friends. I've looked through every Facebook picture I've uploaded, and had a constant stream of memories make their way back into my mind. Some good, some bad, but all there. I'm so grateful that we get to remember things; to feel the emotions we felt when they happened, and to cherish that moment in time. Because, how sad would life be if we couldn't remember all the things that made us happy?

What's made you happy today?