105 and still Alive

Boise is Hot. Hot. Hot.
but it does not matter where you are when you are with good friends. We gathered last night at a hot, hot, oh my god hot park. Old law school friends from all other gathered to chat, re-connect and to remember good and not so good times.

We talked until 10:30p.m. Some came with spouses, children and then some just showed up. Lots of sweaty hugs, less beer than usual, but wonderful moments of remembering. Each of us has taken different things from that time into our new lives. We separated as a group 20 years ago but still have this important and life changing experience as a common bond. Our new lives have given us new appreciation for our old. We look back and have more respect for some of our classmates and less for other's. We know more about life's challenges and are less judgmental about the events than in the past.

Sadly we realize some of our friends are not alive and others are sick. Some have found it necessary to leave law far behind and others have taken the bench. What really scares us, is the two members that look exactly as they did 20 years ago. We know they are either vampires and don't age or there is a Portrait aging for them.

We are still funny, oh, my god we are funny. We have a great sense of self and a real vision of what we are going to do in the world and can look back on some of the good things we have done. One of our classmates has established a mental health/drug court. Two of our members are still doing Legal Aid. Some of our members are working on other imporant issues. We can look at our collective efforts and know we have contributed in a meaningful way.

I had the wife of a classmate come up to me last night. (Thank God for Lori's clever and effective name tags.) She told me she had wondered about me all these years and as we chatted she thanked me for going to the hospital when their son had had surgery during law school. I have no current recollection of that moment or act. It made me realize that many of the things we do for people out of kindness can have a lasting effect.

We have not been a part of each other's lives for a long time but during the times we lived and breathed law, we made lasting impressions on each other. It is good to brave the heat and reconnect. (Pictures will be posted when I get home.)