The Truth Behind Those Lies.... : Friends That Will Last Forever...

Ask your current friends, "What was your high school like?" and I bet you'll get this.

"Loved it. Wished I could go back."

"Best time of my life."

Ask them if they attend class reunions. They might say:

"If time permits?"

"Most definitely."

In my own utterly unscientific random sampling of my generation, I have concluded that high school was pretty much the best time of my life; starting from the daily routine, as was the cafeteria food served on plastic trays.

I can't argue with the giddiness or the exuberant; I felt that, too. I can't deny that I was often wishing that it would last forever and not to start the next chapter in college. My classmates surely felt the same.

My friendship with my high school friends were so strong that they superseded the agony in leaving the Alma Mater we once considered as our second home and have lasted all these years since.

I studied in Blessed Elena Academy for ten years . Let me share this with you, this was considered as our little haven way back then. With us spending most of our youthful years in the premises of the school, we almost knew everybody from the security guard down to the janitors.

We learned how to be street smart real fast. We had to. Yet many of us were avid students who also enjoyed after-school activities -- clubs, sports, student government and committees -- even before you had to be active if you wanted college admissions directors to notice you.

We loved showing our school spirit. We loved being together.

Outside of school? Same thing. I remember chilly Friday night home drinking sessions, forming caravans to travel to away games, school dances, hanging out in Niño's or Dyan's crib. Friday and Saturday nights were the best for we have the whole day to hang-out together and talk almost anything under the sun.There was a lot to do, but just being together made a whole lot of nothing a whole lot of fun.

We said our goodbyes on a sunny day in March after singing our Graduation song. The anticipation for summer and college was tinged with melancholy because we knew that we were losing something that mattered a lot: our daily routine, our night-outs, our bonding moments.

This bitter sweetness turned out to be the cement that has kept us in touch ever since. We might not see each other that often but when we do, we see to it that every second counts.

Last Saturday, we all decided to form a simple get together. Starting from a simple dinner in Marina Mall of Asia, to videoke in Sing Side Macapagal and early morning coffee in Blue Wave.

Even better, we celebrated one of our friend's birthday. It was indeed a celebration not to missed.

Turning a year older every year isn't all that bad when you've got friends who have known you forever and still love you with all your imperfections. As we grow older and perhaps more nostalgic, we recognize that our high school experience was not typical. But we are grateful that it was what it was.

"We turned out OK," is usually said by at least one of us.

To which everyone else nods in agreement.

I would like to share some pictures taken from our simple get together. Sorry for the bad resolution though. I was too tipsy to take good pictures... Hahahahaha...

True friends are hard to find that's why I treasure them a lot...