O my friends! We gathered to celebrate our 40th reunion.

We came from afar, pulling the caravan of our long histories

that echoed the secrets of our souls

like melodies from silent symphonies of other worlds.

 

We arrived, unfurling our banners of hope and joy and excitement.

We embraced and kissed and our faces glowed when we connected

with individuals we had not seen in decades.

 

Voices rose!

We reminisced; we laughed; we inquired; we observed;

we touched other hearts.

Some danced; some pondered; some sat quietly

as though in a trance of bewilderment or in a transcended state of epiphany!

The music set us on fire!

The merriment was contagious!

 

The momentum of the great celebration had reached its apex

and began to ebb.

The hours waned--the departure was gradual yet conspicuous:

each soul reeled in his or her banner and vanished into the cold, black night

as if the entire gathering had been a mystical dream...

 

And when I found myself alone in my room trying to surrender to sleep

I smiled through my tears as one night in time

had finally settled into the depths of my being

as a glorious and precious memory.