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Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Visiting my past: Middleway, Charlestown, and Harpers Ferry

Our recent trip to Maryland for the Freedom's Run marathon was mostly a chance for me to visit the teeny tiny town of Middleway, where I lived for four years. I was nine when we moved and I missed the area.
We visited all the landmarks I remembered and loved:
- The Charlestown library, where I spent hours each week selecting books (3 book limit per check out!). They used to have two awesome things: a pet tarantula and a rotating exhibit case that displayed various collections (stamps, dolls, tin soldiers). Both were gone.

- My old home in Middleway, which the current owners painted a ghastly combination of hues and "spruced up" with ridiculous window frames. Hmph! The house is pre-civil war with an even older barn; the wood inside is all hand-hewn and axe marks are visible.

- The Middleway historic churches. Middleway has three churches and about, oh, 11 houses. Seriously.

- Harpers Ferry. Exquisite beauty. Amazing history.



We also visited a dear childhood friend and had brunch with my grandparents right before we left. I hadn't seen my grandparents in twelve years!
I expected, of course, to be comfortable with my grandparents. But I was unsure about visiting my friend whom I hadn't seen in 18 years. Would we sill get along? Would we have things to talk about? Well, we did - I felt right at home and had an amazing time!
Have you ever reconnected with a friend from long ago? Was your experience positive, or a tad uncomfortable?

2 comments:

  1. Where you grew up looks beautiful. Reconnecting with old friends can be awkward at first, but I find it's usually pretty easy because at one point you shared a deep connection. Plus, it's always interesting to see where people have taken their lives. Great that you got to visit and see your grandparents!

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