I went home for my 40th high school reunion this past week but it wasn’t that gathering that brought me face to face with my past self.
The building I went to high school in is long gone so there were no “in person” trips down that particular memory lane. However, the university I attended is thriving so one day I spent a few hours wandering around the campus. The memories came fast and furious and nostalgia abounded.
Songs often bring back strong memories but in this room, the printmaking room, it was the smell that instantly made me feel like I was 18 years old again. The minute I walked through the doors I remembered the exact feeling I had when I first entered it for a woodcut class in 1977. The exact same smells are still there. The ghost of my former self lingers there, big time. I’m positive my 18-year-old butt sat on those very same stools.