Last week I travelled to my hometown of Cleveland, Ohio. I have now lived outside of Cleveland more years than I was raised in Cleveland. For those of us who do not live in our native towns, we have the experience of going home. For some it is a rare occasion and for others it is more frequent. Regardless, the experience of going home has its commonalities. For starters, there are always some changes, such as the Starbucks that have replaced the bowling alleys and the Dairy Queens. At the same time, some things remain the same, like the feel of driving down certain streets and the recognition of houses that were formerly occupied by old friends. And then there is visiting family. Yes, we have all matured – or maybe just ‘aged’ is a more accurate description. Some of us now have children of our own and others have extended families of in-laws. We have professions and homes and lives of our own, and at the same time, we are still the same person in the family as we have always been. Some of us are the peace makers, the trouble makers or the avoiders-of-conflict. Other family members serve as the know-it-alls, the martyrs or simply the ones who get things done. And what family visit passes without a family drama – be it mild or “major.” In summary, going home is an experience ripe with varied memoires and emotions.

I had the opportunity to connect with a high school friend that I had not seen in nearly fifteen years. Unfortunately, he was in town due to the death of his father. He looked the same and so did I, as she claimed. We reminisced about common friends and shared our current life situations. We quickly delved into personal issues and intimate questions, as if time did not pass. We visited for a bit and exchanged contact information and hugged good-bye.

Amazing. Life really does happen over time, and people also remain the same at their core . . . the experience of going home.

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• Life’s Expectations

About Ronit: Ronit Sherwin is the Executive Director of Nishmah:The St. Louis Jewish Women’s Project, which she co-founded in 2005. Ronit has served as an educator in the Jewish communal field for 14 years, teaching families, teens and adults, with a particular focus on girls and women. A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Ronit received her Bachelor’s degree in Education from the Ohio State University and then later completed a Master’s in Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School. Ronit is also the glowing mother of boy-girl twins, Natan and Batya.