I'm feeling nostalgic at the moment...
Every once in a while I get this tingling in my heart that makes me feel as though I want to feel some emotion. I don't know if many people feel this way. To give you a sense of what I mean, once I really wanted to see Life is Beautiful, because I wanted to experience the emotional turns of the story. On one birthday I went to Shakespeare in Love by myself. It was a holiday at work, my friends weren't around, so I enjoyed that year's best movie and the emotional twinges of the story.
I'm feeling similarly nostalgic now. I think part of this nostalgia is the result of having gone through an old box of momentos, mostly letters and cards going back a few years. I never liked the idea of receiving a card and then throwing it out. I felt like I was paying more respect to the sender if I instead put the note into a box somewhere so it could collect dust. But, I went through an old shoebox that had some of these notes and cards and read with pleasure some notes I'd received from family and friends over the years. Some of the most fun letters to read were from my college years. My mother was always worried about the way I'd spend money. She left me a note telling me she could save me the $9.00 I spent one month in ATM fees because my bank--for whatever reason--was charging me $9.00. Maybe, it was a low balance fee--I can't quite remember. She'd left me a note another time telling me I was being extravagant because I'd spend $11 on a CD. Please understand, she's a mother. Her intentions were good. I can laugh about it now, but she probably had some genuine concerns while I was in college. I think most people do.
Other things that I found were birthday cards. There seemed to be a lot for my 22nd birthday--that must have been a banner year. I found a Christmas/Hanukah/Season's Greetings! one from a couple who I simply don't remember. Here's the note. I'm hoping someone recognizes the author.
I'm thinking I went to college with Sausha and Josh. Being that I've never been very good about writing back, and also because I was probably among the last people they added to their list that year, I'll bet that I probably fell of their Christmas list the next year. Still, if anyone knows who Sausha and Josh are.... please let me know. I at least owe them one message :)
There were some other fun things in the box, including a number of letters written by someone who used to be a very close friend. The thing that struck me most about the messages is the genuine combination of uncertainty and anticipation over "what was to come" that the letters conveyed. I love that when we're in college and we're just beginning to put the ink on the page that defines what we are in our lives, we show worry, but with little fear for the challenges that would follow. Let's not forget that many of us while in college or just before graduation were probably unsure of the exact paths our lives would follow. Granted, there were plenty of us that were on our way to medical school or law school. But many, especially those who followed a liberal arts curriculum, really didn't know what they'd be doing in the next five, ten, or more years. Also, with student loans and the like, there were many trials ahead.
So, in reading the notes I couldn't help but compare the emotions of a soon to be college graduate versus someone that is established in the working world. As the soon to be college graduate, there are fewer responsibilities but worry nonetheless--but life isn't necessarily comfortable. As we progress through our twenties and into our thirties, we get more comfortable in life but we lack many of the friendships and the support that we took for granted back in college.
I like the idea of making a comparison between these two periods in our lives. I feel like it's something we could really get philosophical about. Maybe I'll think about it some more...
I'm feeling similarly nostalgic now. I think part of this nostalgia is the result of having gone through an old box of momentos, mostly letters and cards going back a few years. I never liked the idea of receiving a card and then throwing it out. I felt like I was paying more respect to the sender if I instead put the note into a box somewhere so it could collect dust. But, I went through an old shoebox that had some of these notes and cards and read with pleasure some notes I'd received from family and friends over the years. Some of the most fun letters to read were from my college years. My mother was always worried about the way I'd spend money. She left me a note telling me she could save me the $9.00 I spent one month in ATM fees because my bank--for whatever reason--was charging me $9.00. Maybe, it was a low balance fee--I can't quite remember. She'd left me a note another time telling me I was being extravagant because I'd spend $11 on a CD. Please understand, she's a mother. Her intentions were good. I can laugh about it now, but she probably had some genuine concerns while I was in college. I think most people do.
Other things that I found were birthday cards. There seemed to be a lot for my 22nd birthday--that must have been a banner year. I found a Christmas/Hanukah/Season's Greetings! one from a couple who I simply don't remember. Here's the note. I'm hoping someone recognizes the author.
Dear Scott,
Season's Greetings!
I hope you have a great holiday and a fantastic year to come. How are you doing these days? I'd love to hear from you. The new things with me are that we adopted 2 dogs from the pound (they're black lab mixes--so cute) and Josh and I are expecting our first child in April. We are very excited as you can imagine! Hope all is well with you!
Sausha and Josh
I'm thinking I went to college with Sausha and Josh. Being that I've never been very good about writing back, and also because I was probably among the last people they added to their list that year, I'll bet that I probably fell of their Christmas list the next year. Still, if anyone knows who Sausha and Josh are.... please let me know. I at least owe them one message :)
There were some other fun things in the box, including a number of letters written by someone who used to be a very close friend. The thing that struck me most about the messages is the genuine combination of uncertainty and anticipation over "what was to come" that the letters conveyed. I love that when we're in college and we're just beginning to put the ink on the page that defines what we are in our lives, we show worry, but with little fear for the challenges that would follow. Let's not forget that many of us while in college or just before graduation were probably unsure of the exact paths our lives would follow. Granted, there were plenty of us that were on our way to medical school or law school. But many, especially those who followed a liberal arts curriculum, really didn't know what they'd be doing in the next five, ten, or more years. Also, with student loans and the like, there were many trials ahead.
So, in reading the notes I couldn't help but compare the emotions of a soon to be college graduate versus someone that is established in the working world. As the soon to be college graduate, there are fewer responsibilities but worry nonetheless--but life isn't necessarily comfortable. As we progress through our twenties and into our thirties, we get more comfortable in life but we lack many of the friendships and the support that we took for granted back in college.
I like the idea of making a comparison between these two periods in our lives. I feel like it's something we could really get philosophical about. Maybe I'll think about it some more...
posted by Scott | 7:54 PM
2 Comments:
OK so how would we have known to leave you a comment without knowing that you're a bona fide blogger now? Keep writing, at least it'll serve as a semi-journal that your posterity will enjoy reading. Really! Thanks for the well-wishing on my race, too. I need it.
OK so how would we have known to leave you a comment without knowing that you're a bona fide blogger now? Keep writing, at least it'll serve as a semi-journal that your posterity will enjoy reading. Really! Thanks for the well-wishing on my race, too. I need it.
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