Prom

      Recently, I was talking to my younger sister about prom, one of the most exciting things about being a junior or senior in high school, or at least it was in my opinion.  Growing up I remember watching my older sister try on beautiful dresses for this dance, and dressing up was probably what I did more than anything as a kid.  Well...that and wrapping in gift paper things around the house and giving them to my mom.  After my mom passed away, I remember my older sister telling me that my mom was really looking forward to the day I went to prom.  Out of my sisters, I was always the one who loved shiny jewelry and beautiful dresses, the one that always went a little overboard when I did get the chance to dress up.

     I remember my years at prom.  As a sophomore, I will say I was very nervous at prom and didn't know anyone (since sophomores only really go if they are an upperclassman's date.)  However, my junior and senior prom, with my friends, were absolutely wonderful, and I still have trouble letting go of the dresses I wore.  As a freshman in college, I got to go back to the high school prom, but I can't say it was one of my fondest memories.  It was awkward and emotional (on my birthday, which as all of you know, is one of the times of the year that I want to pass through and pretend it never happened) but I did get to see my friends who were still in high school and that was more than enough.  

    But, as I was saying, my memories from junior and senior prom were unforgettable.  The theme junior year was Manhattan Masquerade, and the next year I believe it Midnight in Paris.  While my senior year was memorable because I got to share a dance with one of my closest friends, Manhattan Masquerade was by far my favorite and one of the best nights in my years of high schools.  (*Note, I say one of the best.)  

   So when I was talking to my younger sister the other day, the topic of her finding a prom dress came up.  It struck me that my younger sister is actually a junior in high school.  At the end of this year, she will be applying to colleges.  I hope for her to get the experience I did going to prom.  I now kind of realize why my mom was so excited about mine, and I cannot wait to see my younger sister go off to the dance.  It's such a monumental moment in growing up.  Over the past few years, the more I think of it, the more emotional it is to me to see her all grown up sometimes.  And it's also really hard to realize how much has changed in a mere few years...