Blog

This past week was totally different, a change from anything I could have predicted two weeks ago.  And it all had to do with peers.

On Monday, my second younger sister—the third child in my family of origin—called to say she’d like to come for a visit.  From the next day till the weekend.  True to my recently declared intent to be open to change, I cleared my calendar. 

All three of my sisters and I have gotten together regularly over the years; but this was to be the first time my five-years-younger-sister and I would  be with just each other.  As adult peers.   

A treasure-trove 

Over the next few days we explored family photographs, recalled the same events with differing details, watched favorite movies and cable tv shows, went for a hike in the foothills, ate ice cream cones, laughed,  listened to each other’s thoughts.   And created a treasure trove of new memories.

Then in the middle of that same week, a college classmate called unexpectedly. She wanted me to know that another of our classmates would be coming from out of state for a visit.  The hope: that all of us who live in the area could get together for lunch. The following Monday we gathered, mask-free, at a local restaurant.  Over the next 2.5 hours five friends who first knew each other as teenage freshwomen in college–now peers in the seasoned-citizen bracket–erased the intervening years. We acknoweldged losses, but mostly  listened and laughed at memories and first-time-ever-revealed stories.  

Peer Phenomenon

 According to the New Oxford  American Dictionary.  a peer is a person of the same age, status, or ability as anther specified person.  

Since last week, it appeers that–even on my daily creek-side walks– I come  across a preponderance of peers of all ages, genders, and species.   Gray-haired men.

  Younger women.  Pre-school pals.  All deep in conversation. 

Plus a black lab inexplicably paired with a gray poodle-terrier.   

 All  enjoying the pleasure of peers.