PILA Month day 10

Day 10 - a photo taken over 10 years ago of you and how it makes you feel seeing it now.

As this photo says this was taken in 1997. The year I graduated high school. This is two of my dearest friends. Both I have been friends with since kindergarten. 26 years. WOW.

Belle, the middle one, used to visit her dad on San Diego. He lived right on the bay so when she was in town we would have sleep overs and get together for a weekend. Typical girls weekend in the teen years. Lots of pillow fights and ripping our clothes off stupid movies, junk food and shopping. And the beach. I love the beach. The salty air, the seagulls- well I guess I could live without those, the people watching. Especially in a place like Mission Beach. It is a hot spot for people watching. "Ken" is a good example of this. He would roller skate by almost every weekend as we sat on the deck watching the bay.

Bonnie, on the right, moved to Washington when we were 14 and is one of the prime reasons we moved here. Her family helped raise me. We grew up on the same street and I was at her house many nights and weekend through most of my childhood.

This photo makes me happy. I was so excited for the rest of my life. I had friends I could trust (still do). And looking at this photo you would think everything could be perfect. But it wasn't. I know looking at this photo that I was in a very tumultuous relationship that often bordered on abusive. I had no real idea how I was going to leave. I obviously figured that part out, and how to avoid those types of people. I think I learned from all that people watching on the beach.

Looking at this photo makes me happy for my life now. I wouldn't trade this for all the youthful ignorance for anything in the world. I might pay a little to have that body back though...