Most of us who made the choice of spending our professional lives working with young people did so because we simply loved being with them. Their energy. Their fresh take on the world. Their impulsive moments (both good and bad). Their idealism. Their willingness to open themselves up to trusted adults. All of those things gave us energy and hope and optimism. And maybe made us feel younger.

Yet few of us anticipated how those relationships would evolve and mature – and this week in the Bay Area has been a wonderful reminder of how meaningful those bonds formed years ago remain.

Sarah and I love going to Nobles alumni receptions. Seeing former students “all grown up” and gaining snippets of their current lives feel like gifts. Yet being able to linger over coffee or dinner with Morgan Henderson N’11, Chris Gaither N’93, Molly Dwyer Martell, Lucy Minott, Annabel Lippincott, Abby Mayer (all N’06), Lauren Kelley N’20, and Gigi (N’12) and Noelle (N’14) Anderson was, well, different. All of us have friendships that endure over many years – where we seem to pick up where we left off. Each moment with these folks felt that way. Sharing our collective life journeys – including vivid memories from high school (ie; Annabel falling off her bike in Vietnam and then ultimately getting back up and finishing the tough ride!), professional frustrations and opportunities, and personal victories – was a gift beyond compare. Each of these wonderful people is crafting a life with purpose, with care, with deliberation, and with deep appreciation for the relationships built because of Nobles.

So 30+ years ago when we arrived at Nobles we never could have anticipated what these relationships would turn into. Yet our time with these incredible people was another reminder of how lucky we are to have gotten to know them – and so many others – and we can’t thank this group enough for carving out time with us.

And the beauty and the weather and great time with close friends from college, all of that here in the Bay Area.