As Lloyd alluded to, our good friend Kathryn was here a couple of evenings to attend a funeral in South Dakota. It was awesome seeing her – as if no time had passed. (Warning: I am writing this after a very long day, and am not very coherent. There has been some hallucinating going on in my brain, I think. The following might not make sense, so bear with me.)
It struck me as we were talking in Runza that she seemed to not have aged a bit – she looked exactly like she did in college: same eyes, same laugh, same funny storytelling ability – but then I realized that I certainly don’t look exactly the same. I have wrinkles, a dead look in my eyes, and some seriously wonky hair. (Wait. That part is the same.) She must look a little different, too.
I always kid how I ”see people’s souls” which is really just my way of saying that I’m too lazy to notice or care about what people look like. So, driving home in a sleepy haze tonight, I was visiting the idea that my 20-year-old’s soul saw her 20-year-old’s soul inside, and really we were the same ‘kernel’ of Lauren/Kathryn (respectively), just with these layers of years and experience laid over that. Oh, and worse hair on my part.
In Colorado my brothers ran into an old friend in a grocery store, and as they visited Keren said, “It’s fascinating just watching the years melt away as you guys talk to each other.” Yes!
Does that make any sense? That we are who we are at the center, and time just adds to it, make us more interesting and more ‘us’.
Man, I’m tired. Forget I said anything.
Brad says
I sometimes used to wonder what people would look like when they were older. I always had hard time imagining it. But as I get older, I have an easier time imagining what people may have looked like when they were younger.
Deborah says
I am definitely that way with my close friends--especially college friends. Lauren and Lloyd haven’t changed a bit (except for Lloyd’s hair--something’s strange about that). I met with Marie (my college roommate) this summer and everything was the same. Here’s my take on it: college was the last time that I was only me. Not The Teacher, not The Mom, not The Principal’s Wife.
That’s pretty deep stuff for 6:00 in the morning.
Man, I’m tired. Forget I said anything.
Kristi says
Amen! to Deborah!
And, Brad, when does that switch of perspective change?
Lloyd says
Yeah, I can’t put my finger on it (well, I can, I just don’t want to) but something has changed.
Peggy says
I understand exactly what you’re saying Lauren…I guess only kindred souls do!
Gretchen says
I agree. I think photos make people look different, but when seeing someone live, in person, it is definitely THEM. The same one that I first knew.