Summer Outing

Yesterday, I went on the annual summer outing of a group that I've been an alumnus (alumni? alum?) of for the last six years. The last time I joined them was about three or four years ago, on my birthday actually! It was a little strange interacting with a group of kiddies I don't recognize at all and very much thankful that a few of my own fellow kiddies also opted to join the trip.

I noticed the three groups that naturally sat together over lunch. The newest members sat furthest away from the food table (the epicenter of all outings, lol) and were quietly giggling and smiling about the events of the day's past. The current members were positioned to the right of the food table and were roaring and hooting together as they re-bonded over whatever experiences they shared. Us oldies claimed our place on the other side of the food table and spent the afternoon chatting, laughing and vicariously living off of the energy of the newbies who were splashing around in the pool.

The trip was a memory jolter for me, remembering my very first summer outing with the group and then the trips that ensued from there. The group has been a very very big part of my life - from all the life lessons it has taught me, the irreplaceable adventures I experienced and finally, to the beautiful friends who have now become family.

I remember being worried about the continuity of the group when I left; I think all new graduates do. The organization has been around for so long, that you forget about the resilience it has proven to have over and over again, and was reassured of this again yesterday. Seeing the organization's magic at work as it created new memories for the newbies and continues to do so for the current and older batches, was truly a joy to witness.