Meeting again, 22 years after.

It was yesterday...

22 years ago.

We were young women filled with dreams and expectations, eager to finish school and fly away.

We were the same class of girls in our school. Some of us friends since kinder-garden.

We left our seats for other groups of girls and spread our wings away from childhood.

Each one of us took a path. Some married their first sweethearts, some did travel...

Life took us away from each other. We wanted to see the outside world, the “real” life. We wanted to leave that childhood and youth behind. Life had a lot to offer and we were ready...

22 years after... one simple photo brought back a whole life. A single photo, posted by one of us. It was our school gown, the one we wore for years, filled with wishes and love written by all of us to each other, with drawings and hearts. We wrote those words on the last day of school, before going for good.

And suddenly, through social media, we started finding each other... Few days, and we were over 18 girls chatting online.

I insist on the word “girls”... We were women outside this chatting box, inside, we rediscovered the girls in us, still alive, still fun, still hilarious!

A reunion dinner was a must.

So, 22 years after, we did it, we met again.

22 years after, we're still the same. With life stories to share...

22 years after, we came back with a big number of kids, two divorces, one remarriage, one breast cancer (won battle), one dead child (lost battle), two single ladies, three living abroad, great professional lives...

22 years after, we came with tons of stories, some sad, many funny and happy.

22 years after, I was amazed to see myself discussing kids, labor, work, disappointment... with the same girls I used to talk dreams, expectations, love...

22 years after, it was yesterday.

22 years after, it was so long ago, yet so close.

22 years after, we are still those girls filled with hope, topped with a few years of experience, some wrinkles, few disappointments, big hearts, and wisdom.

22 years after choosing to go away, life brought us back together, through one simple school dress, to remind us that true friendship doesn’t just fade, doesn’t just go, and doesn’t need a daily reminder to exist. It’s just there. Period.