On Saturday I trekked out to Chicago for the wedding of one of my dear college friends, a woman of strong will, brains, and achievement, from whom I learned a lot about respect for myself and disregarding what others think of me, even if I couldn't always apply these lessons. She looked amazing in a silky, creamy gown, with a long chiffon "veil" worn across the back of her head. The service was conducted by a Father and a Rabbi, which sounds like the beginning of a joke, perhaps more so when you learn that their names were Michaels Michelini and Sternfield respectively. They told a few jokes, actually, and the whole service was lighthearted. I sat with another one of our small group, Holly, both of us on our own, which seemed best because we so often were in college. We reminisced big time and snuck jokes back and forth. We "represented," if you will.
Did I mention the wedding was in the gigantic Rockefeller Chapel on the campus of U of Chicago?
After the service, Holly and I went to the Oriental Museum and a coffee shop, and we wrote out a little joint card with an extra memento for the bride, then arrived at the buffet reception. We sat next to another of Lis's MSU friends, whose name we recognized, and we all chatted through dinner and cake. Highlights of the reception included watching Lis and Phil in the traditional chair dance (Horah?) and hearing that, if we wanted, we could have cake cut in any shape we wanted. We chose rectangle.
Long about 8:30, Chicago time, I decided I was ready to go. It was a good party, and the dancing was going on, but I felt satisfied with the day, and I wanted to drive back home. I said goodbye to Lis and parted from Holly, and off I went. It was a nice drive, and I even got to see a firework. I got back around 1:30 Ohio time.
Through all of this, I got lots of chances to think about those years in college and some of our gatherings since. So much happened--we were living all on the same singles dorm floor, and I was so grateful for these girls because we all had our eccentricities and we were all able to spend time with each other despite how busy we were. We kept each other from getting lonely, and we took care of each other when we were troubled. I remember one day I'd had it up to wherever and was desperate for sleep, and I snapped at them for chatting outside my closed door. Later, Lis totally called me on it while I was working on choreography ...it was like an intervention. But it gave me a chance to apologize and describe to them how completely overwhelmed I was feeling, rather than continuing to clamp down on it. I needed these girls to keep me from drawing into myself. I can't imagine what I brought to them, but I hope I at least offered something. We had such ridiculously fun times together, and I remember so many of the things we did as if they happened last week. Pool games with henna drying on our skin, making chicken-flavored rice and orange cinnamon rolls in the kitchenette, drinking wine coolers and margaritas, attending hockey games, going to the Renaissance Festival and horseback riding, playing Life during Finals Week...the list goes on forever. My favorite times were when we all gathered in someone's room, and watched TV or a movie, eating, drinking, and laughing, dishing about boys and our floormates. I was so sad when Lis and Holly graduated, and Elisa moved into an apartment, and Em was long gone. I was so busy senior year that I didn't have much social time, but in the quiet moments I missed those girls tons. It was a joy to watch Lis get married, and I hope it won't be too long before we can all see each other again.
3 Mason Rules!
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