Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, “Life is a journey, not a destination.” We might wonder if this concept could be applied to gatherings during holidays or other times of the year. This is indeed the time of year that many of us are looking forward to attending a holiday-related event, which might be perceived as a reunion of sorts.

Reunions come in various styles, including but not limited to just those related to high school, college, clubs and organizations.

Most significantly, the reuniting of family and friends is traditional during this time of year.

With the current pressure of everyday living, this might be the year to recognize the significance of family and friends in our lives and also a time to relax and share. Hopefully, this opportunity to intermingle and review will become very positive and therapeutic for those attending. Involvement in a reunion may be similar to recycling, where in the support of sustainability, we recover, repurpose and reuse. Nevertheless, family reunions are more than recycling as this is also a time to reconnect. Sometimes holiday get-togethers take on a despairing characteristic; yet when we think about life’s journey, we realize that this is an important and even a necessary time for families and friends to get together. With any luck, this in turn should sustain and rejuvenate those enduring qualities that are so necessary to the unity of family and friends.

The song, “Hotel California” by the Eagles ends with lyrics that echoes Emerson’s quote about our journey through life: “You can check out any time you like / But you can never leave!” The holiday season is an appropriate time to rekindle memories, and most importantly, a time to enjoy our friends and family. Whether those gathering are from nearby or traveled a long distance, these occasions will be coveted as a tradition that becomes part of our journey through life. From these opportunities we can look forward to renewing — but never leaving — our cherished memories.

Our memories likely will always be with us, but it may be justifiable to experience reminiscing with those near and dear more often than just during holidays.

Larry Crandall lives in Sammamish.