Nostalgia

Nostalgia

September 30, 2014

KC Roayls LogoIt must be something in the air… been feeling nostalgic for the past week.  Is it the gorgeous autumn weather?  It just smells so nice, the sun is still out, it’s not quite as hot, Thanksgiving and other excuses to gather family and friends are nearly upon us.  Could be.

Could also be the start of the Jewish New Year… a time of renewal and reflection, repentance and forgiveness.  Recalls for me loads of memories… holiday dinners with extended family, the warm aroma of delicious food filling the house, candles lit, counting our blessings.

This week in particular has been a special one… the Kansas City Royals, are in the playoffs for the first time in 29 years!  I was feeling very wistful on Friday night when they clinched the AL wildcard playoff spot… remembering very clearly as a 14-year old sitting with my parents and brothers on the floor, glued to the TV, cheering on George Brett, Frank White, Willie Wilson, Hal McRae, Dan Quisenberry, Bret Saberhagen and the rest of the World Series roster.  That sense of victory, of hometown pride, of team came flooding back.  I’ll be rooting on our boys in blue again tonight during the game against the Oakland A’s.  Go Royals!

Then, yesterday was Mountain Day.  If you’re not familiar with the concept, it is a long held tradition of my alma mater, Smith College.  Essentially, it is an unannounced “holiday” called by the College president each fall.  Usually on some September or October morning, the campus bells begin to toll at sunrise announcing a surprise day off of school.  The entire Smith College community is encouraged to take the day to head to the mountains, to enjoy one another’s company, to simply live life!  Students are roused from their slumber and begin to hoot and holler through the houses.  It’s a wonderful day and the source of many of my most cherished college memories.  Here’s what one of my Smith sisters, Rachel Honig wrote on a Facebook post about Mountain Day:

Dear Smith sisters. I was apparently too busy already studying in the Neilson Library, deep in thought, to have heard the bells this morning. By the time I returned to the Quad for a break, the box lunches had already been distributed. (Or, rewritten, I was in meetings literally all day in NYC and completely missed Mountain Day…) But my nostalgia and sentiment is no less heartfelt. I am grateful for Smith, for traditions, and for all of you in my life. I hope each of you saw the beauty in today, wherever it found you. 

Couldn’t have said it better myself.

“How does nostalgia fit into the world of Networking?” you might wonder… Think back on your own life.  Recall the sounds, the scents, the memories, the feelings and, especially, the PEOPLE who have had a meaningful impact on who you are today.  Their collective input has helped shape the person you are and will become.  Reach out to them.  Let them know how important they are in your life – even if it’s been a while since you connected.  Chances are, you have had a meaningful impact on their lives, too.  Imagine the power of your re-connection.  I wonder what the future has in store for you as a result of those relationships?

Please share your stories by leaving a comment below… about what are you feeling nostalgic?