"Weird but cool." "A very excitable person." "You'll always be my best friend!" "See ya around."

I was sorting through some old pictures and found this whole pile of 1-4 sentence sentiments that all end with "luv ya" or "call me." And I am completely in love with those notes on the back of the school photos! I love the suggestiveness of some and the inside jokes on others. I even love the generic "What the hell am I going to write to this girl? I know, 'Stay Sweet! Glad I got to know ya!'"

Looking at them as a whole is like a Focus Group Study of 6 years of my life. The words on the back of the pictures are as accurate a snapshot as the photos on the front. There are even a few people in the pile that present a sort of timeline if you look at the pictures and read them in order. Here are a few of my favorites!

Colleen, Freshman Year

I'm really glad I met you! I hope we can be good friends this year! Good luck in soccer! Smile! (smiley face) Love, Colleen

Colleen, Senior Year

Good thing Truffles isn't wearing diapers, huh? I have had so much fun with you and Susan at Brady and I sure hope you go to St. Ben's next year--it will be great!! Luv, Colleen

All three of us ended up at St. Ben's for college. And it was really great. Colleen has the most amazing tales to tell of her travels and work since college. I had the pleasure of an hour long Skype Call with her just before Christmas. She was in Hawaii for 5 months for work. See what I mean! She is an artist and a poet and an environmental crusader. And I want to be her when I grow up.

Paul, Senior Year

I'd like to start off by thanking you for being so kind to me and giving me rides. You've become a very excitable person who's fun to be with. I wish you the best of luck after school and in your life. Have a great year. Paul.

P.S. I hope this nice message makes you feel bad for calling me a slut.

And now I do. I even feel badly for not remembering that I called him a slut 20 years ago! But you would not have remembered either because Paul is one of the kindest, gentlest souls I have ever known. He has one of those senses of humor that starts out clever and gets funnier the more you think about it. He is also off-the-scale brilliant. And I have had the extreme pleasure of getting to know him again through facebook recently.

Katie, Sophomore Year

You're a real honey. I'm glad you go to Brady and I'm glad we're friends. Don't forget I like your sweater but it would look better on me, HA! HA! Love, Katie

This one is extra amusing to me. We happened to have matching sweaters. Everyone did...we were in uniform! I ran into Katie a couple of months ago. She is one of those women who just gets more and more beautiful. I do not think it very fair that we are having our 20th reunion this summer and she looks like she graduated last week.

Amanda, Eighth Grade (written in a spiral)

You're a super cool chick! And I'm glad to know you. I'm not gonna say a whole bunch of goo on how great you are because you already know that you're a great friend. Please don't go to Brady. Remember to write and you'll always be my best friend. We (heart) Chad!

First of all, we did heart Chad. Both of us. Just not at the same time. Amanda was one of the funniest people I have ever known. My lack of understanding of the intricacies of Grammar can be attributed to sitting by her in class. And most of the writing I did that year was in the form of tiny notes passed to Amanda!

Don, Seventh Grade

Chad is a lucky guy! Hope I get as lucky. See ya around. Don.

I have not talked to Don since Junior High. In my mind, I have trouble projecting an image of him as an adult. But I hope his life still involves pocket knives and saxophones. And that he did get as lucky!

Chad, Seventh Grade

Hope we are together forever. Love Always, Chad.

Yes! It is THAT CHAD. And, you may have guessed, we did not stay together forever. We stayed together for only a few months. But they were months full of awkward handholding and stealing a few kisses at the Church Lock-In. And the memories are perfectly sweet. Forever.

Linnette, Seventh Grade

Hi! You're a way cool chick! Weird but cool. Stay that way! Love, Linnette.

Hey! I am still weird but cool! She was always insightful and clever.

Susan, Eighth Grade

I'm really glad I met you. You're so sweet and I'm so happy you are going to Brady. Love, Susan

Susan, Freshman Year

I'm so glad we're friends! You're so sweet! Love, Susan

P.S. I hope everything works out between you + you know who.

Susan, Junior Year

Here you go. I still think you and Krista were pretty tricky. ("Let's have a gum party.") You guys crack me up! Thanks for everything!! I love ya! Love Always, Susan

Susan, Senior Year

Here you go. Like I said, I won't miss you! Because we will still be together. I'm glad. I don't know what I'd do w/out you! Susan

Where to start with this one! I love this woman! We met in Junior High, transferred to the same High School, and lived together for four years in college. The first few weeks at college, our RA came to our dorm room and knocked. She wanted to make sure we knew that everyone else on the floor had agreed to leave their doors open to facilitate making new friendships. We thanked her kindly, told her we recognized that closing our door all the time was closing the door on possible new friends, and then closed the door behind her as she left! We were still close for several years after college. But the business of life tends to put space in places you don't want it if you are not vigilant. Spending time with her family (they had 5 girls!) gave me a really beautiful picture of what sibling relationships could be. And, to this day, they serve as a model of what I hope for my own children.

And now, if you'll excuse me, I need to make a phone call. I am feeling a need to open the door for an old friendship.