A New Moon Date

We went to Forks, WA, to hang out with vampires and werewolves.

What's the matter: cat got your tongue? Not if you've read the Twilight series.

We went to see if the movie remained true to the book (well, Morgan and I did since Michelle doesn't read anything but county assessments and debt-to-income ratios). We were voyeurs, peering into the same love story told countless times throughout literary history (think Romeo & Juliet, Lancelot & Guenevere, David & Bathsheba: I could go on). And the movie was fine.

But that wasn't really why I went to Forks; rather, I went for the memory.

As the numbers in my age tick ever higher, I've come to realize that the best memories aren't about the event itself. The first date, first kiss, graduation, proms, concerts and parties...even the all-nighters in the dorms cramming for finals: they're all about the people, not the event. Now I embrace memory-making with this in mind understanding that, yes, I wanted to see New Moon. But I could have seen it with any one of at least a dozen other friends. I could have seen it on a date (of course, I'd have needed to sedate Craig, first). I could have even seen it by myself. But I wanted to see New Moon with Morgan and Michelle because of the experience of simply going together, of embracing the experience together. Of seeing the movie after discussing the books, sharing what we thought and felt about the story.

Afterward, we went for dinner and ate good food while we laughed and laughed and laughed. We recalled how, sure enough, Morgan couldn't make it through the movie without needing to pee. And, being on Team Edward, we all admitted how we like Jacob more than we thought we would. And we wondered, "What's up with the waiter calling us all honey, baby, dear, and darling?" I'd prefer the werewolves and vampires to creepy Red Robin guy any day. We didn't discuss world peace or boys. Or cheer practice or boys. Or the unemployment rate or boys. We simply dwelled in the moment...

and there's freedom - elation - in that.

All in all, we celebrated friendship that night and have a memory to show for it. A good memory. One that will last us when the days draw long and we've haven't had the opportunity to make another memory. Or when we wonder if we really have pure, honest, intimate relationships where someone else on the planet knows us just as we are...warts and all. When those times come (and most assuredly, they will), we have that memory to sustain us. And to remind us that a date is never merely a date if it's celebrated in love and friendship.