The Next Chapter

This past week I have spent a lot of time reliving the past, and thinking about the future. A handful of my friends were graduating with their Bachelor's Degree from the University of South Florida, and had a week full of events in celebration. Each day was like a different year. On Monday, we recalled Freshman year, when we all discovered beer pong, and all sorts of other drinking games for the first time. Tuesday, Sophomore year, we attempted to drink sophisticated high shelf drinks, mixed to perfection and Wednesday, Junior year, was the pub, with darts, pool, and plenty of fluids. Thursday put everything into perspective. Tired of the party we had been living, we watched some sports, played some poker, and just talked about what is next. For a few of them, college is over and their life as a professional is beginning. A couple are going on to get their Master's Degree, and live the lifestyle a little more. But either way, it seemed as though it was the last time that all of us were guaranteed each other's company. I now have several cities across the nation I have to start planning trips to, and wedding dates to save in my planner. Our youth is finally out of reach, and the real world of responsibility is pulling at us. When leaving high school, it was hard to let go of a lot of your childish things, but were able to do so because of the better things to come. That chapter ended, and in doing such, opened up this chapter of my life. I never knew how this chapter would end, but I sure did enjoy it every page along the way. Now, I see that my "book of life" still has a long way to go, and that the next chapter holds many more surprises then the ones before, and even though I will always miss those childish things of yesterday, whose to say I can't bring a few of them with me?