These are the good old days. These are the days we will look back on, yet struggle to recognize in the moment. These are the bits of joy and beauty that get pushed to the wayside. These are the times we take impromptu trips to the beach, making memories pictures couldn’t capture. These are our coffee dates, whether they be hours or minutes long. These are our sushi-runs; the later in the night the better.
These are the good old days. The times we run into friends and stop everything we’re doing to join in a conversation — catching up on each others’ lives. The times we invest in relationships and commiserate over the difficulties of balancing our social lives with school and work. When we meet weekly with people to study or workout.
These are the good old days. The moments of stress we make into joy. Having so much going on at school and work that we decide to dye our hair at ungodly hours of the night with several others watching. Or go to get our ears pierced yet again, using the excuse that the company is donating part of the proceeds to charity.
These are the good old days. Deciding to swing off rope swings into freezing water with people we barely know at the end of August - then getting a group together to go back in April. The days we go to pick pumpkins in the fall and visit tulips in the spring. When we get lost on our hikes, laughing at our stupidity and marveling at God’s bigness.
These are the good old days. The late night talks, the Netflix binge-watching, the events that we’d rather attend than have a good night’s rest. Buying event tickets on a whim. We put our favorite rock tees on and stand in lines for hours, waiting to be let in. We shout so loud that our voices give out. These are the days we put on our workout gear and run a 5k; when we go to the new movie that we all have been dying to see.
These are the good old days. Joining the roar of the crowd in the stands, wearing our school colors. Joyously cheering in the triumphs of our teams. The moments we spend listening to the music of friends on stages; getting dressed up to attend dances.
These are the good old days. Hearing a voice singing a familiar tune and joining in, filling the air with joy. These are the times when the phrase “our song” relates more often to friends than to romantic interests. When we decide to bring out a speaker and dance to pop songs in public because our friends are right beside us.
These are the good old days. Our days directed more by the weather than our own plans. When we get stuck in the snow and have to learn how to put chains on car tires. When we are stranded together with nothing else to do but laugh at the situation. When the sun is shining and we say we are “going to do homework outside” and just end up sunbathing. The times we’ve stopped on the side of the road at the sight of a swing-set to swing along the horizon.
Let's not forget, these are the good old days.
