Not one of my usual "trip of the weeks" but a great weekend nonetheless.  Actually it was more of an "emotional" trip of the week than a physical trip of the week. 

 The three day weekend started off with an old friend and fraternity brother coming out this weekend from Washington DC for our Homecoming Reunion at my old alma mater, Pepperdine University.   He arrived on Saturday morning and we hung out for a while catching up.  We then headed up the coast to Malibu where Pepperdine University is.   I had not been back on campus in several years and it felt odd going back.  Upon arriving there one of the first people I met was Dr. David Baird my History Professor and mentor and overall great person.  We chatted and caught up for a while.  My friend Mike and I, then ran into another fratenity brother David and again caught up.  We kept talking about "pushing 40" and how some of the freshmen on campus were not even born when we started school.  I never really think of myself as getting older. I feel forever 25.  So it was sort of a reality check..that yes, I am getting older.  We then had lunch on campus and walked around reminescing the whole time about our lives on campus.   In the evening we had dinner at one of the professors homes.  It was even fun to drive around Malibu recalling memories of dances, parties, and "happy hours" we used to go to.

At the end of the day it was rather bittersweet.   It seemed like just yesterday we were there...and yet it was over 15 years ago.   It was a reminder of how fast time goes by and the paths our lives had all taken.   In addition there was part of me that wished I could go back in time with the knowledge I have now. I took so much for granted then...the beach, the sunset, the mountains, friends...thinking it would always last.   But I also realized that I did the best at that time that I could with what I had.  It reminded me to really appreciate each day and each interaction as you never know how long it will last. 

When Mike and I got back to my place we looked at old photos and year books recalling all the fun we had.  It seemed like such a carefree fun time in our lives.   Sunday we drove around Westwood and Beverly hills to some of our old stomping grounds and it seemed like every restaraunt, theater, bar, and intersection recalled some memory.   We ended up at Santa Monica 3rd Street Promenade where both of us had spent many of our Pepperdine Weekends dining, dancing, shooting pool, movies, and drinking.  We ended up seeing Pans Labyrinth at the theater which was good and then went out for dinner in addition to meeting up with another friend of Mike's.

My friend left this morning....it is raining and cold...and I'm left with the memories of college days and a great weekend with an old friend who was able to share in those memories.  In all, the lessons I learned this weekend were great...cherish each day, cherish your special times with family and friends, and live life to the fullest as it really does go by very fast.  My dad always said when I was young that the older you get the faster time seems to go...I never believed him until this weekend!