our time capsule.

Three years ago I talked about a time capsule we buried. I referred to it as a treasure box, something that held my most favorite memories. And just a few weeks ago, we finally opened it – the five year marker had come.

Opening that box, sitting on the high school bleachers, with the two best friends I had buried it with years ago, was nostalgic and bittersweet in a thousand ways. I could list the hundreds of memories it brought back, mostly all the things it made us miss, but that would take too much time. It was enough, though, to make me feel 17 again.

We had buried our first cell phones, old wallets, corsages and our 2007 graduation glasses and tassels. I had forgotten about the high school mixtapes, msn conversations (don’t judge us for printing those), matching Hollister boxer shorts (you can judge us for that. I would too.) and passed notes. But what I found most special, out of all the memories I had wanted to place in that box, was a letter I had written to myself five years ago.

Truth be told, I was actually amazed at how insightful this letter was, considering I was just graduating high school at the time I wrote it. I had written a list of what I had expected out of myself, what I hoped I'd do in those five years, what I hoped would be different and the same. Although I won’t write all of it down, I will treasure that letter almost as much as the treasure box itself.

As we finished going through our pile of memories, laughing and even gasping at some of the final things we found, I guess what I really felt the most was this sense of time that has passed. I felt it. Those five years have come and gone. Five years spent in so many ways. So much has changed, so much has remained the same – mostly though, so much has happened; so many “clever twists” as Kylie would say, and that has brought both heartache and joy. Endings and beginnings. (I’d like to add, all for the best, too.)

Opening our time capsule five years after it was buried was memorable in every way that it could be. We laid in the grass for a little while afterward, talking about our treasures and as I looked up at the stars, all I wanted to do was pause time. I sometimes forget how fast it flies by, but things like a time capsule certainly remind you.

Soon enough we plan on meeting again to bury another treasure chest. As I’ve been looking around for what I’d like to put in the time capsule this time, I have felt overwhelmingly grateful to be in my skin. To be me. That wasn’t something I’d expect to feel, but I’m sure glad I do.

--
photos:
//the time capsule buried in 07 
//our first cell phones
//homecoming corsage 
//kylie's love (clever twist: then and now)
//mr. clause is actually max! 
//sara's first boyfriend.. and our forever favorite friend mr. lewis.
//sweet sara, who looks like elton john. 
//the letter.