This past Sunday, I attended the high school graduation celebration party of the son of a close friend, someone I’ve known for 27 years. It was a joyful, picture-perfect event: a large white canopy tent, tables overflowing with catered dishes and desserts, music humming in the background, laughter floating through the air, and of course, the cakes. Friends gathered, plates in hand, capturing moments with the graduate at the center of it all.

But what stopped me in my tracks was the sight of a cherry red vintage Fiat parked on the grass, a moment of nostalgia I didn’t see coming.

Because in a flash, I was back in 2020. The year my own son graduated from college, in the thick of a global lockdown. There were no ceremonies, no banquets, no groups gathered around folding tables. Just uncertainty, face masks, and grocery store lines that wrapped around the block.

But somehow, even in the absence of everything “normal,” something unforgettable happened.

With no formal graduation in sight, his friends and sister teamed up to create a surprise drive-by celebration down our street. My son had no idea. As the honking grew louder, I remember walking into his room and watching the confusion on his face turn to awe as 20 cars rounded the corner, decked out in balloons, posters, streamers, and joy.

And leading the parade? That same red Fiat. Not a convertible, but distinctive and bold, and driven by the same family whose lawn I stood on just this weekend. Five years later. Different graduate, different time, but somehow the same heart.

My son walked out onto the lawn that day, long hair, bewildered eyes, surrounded by a caravan of love. A friend handed him a borrowed cap and gown, and they snapped photos like it was the real thing. Because in every way that mattered, it was.

It’s funny how the world can change so drastically in five years, and yet, certain symbols, like a little red car, stay with you. Not for their make or model, but for the memories they carry.

What vivid memories do you keep going back to? What's triggering them? Any crazy ones you can't seem to forget? Tell me about it! Let's share and learn together.