Reunion WrapUp

Reunions are fun. I’m happy I went- maybe not $500 happy but happy all the same. It was good seeing some familiar faces but… I think it was sad that a lot of the people were still trying so hard to fit in, be cool, whatever. We were taking the group picture and everyone was acting so put out by it. The guys behind me were cussing like crazy and harassing the photographer- the girls were busy trying to look indifferent and yet were smiling away and posing because deep down they wanted this picture taken. So what’s the deal? Why so much negativity? I didn’t understand the driving force of most of these people back then, and to a large extent, I don’t now. So there I was, smiling, trying to tune out the bad behavior and feeling like I wanted to get out of there ASAP.

It made me happy that I grew up and sad that more people didn’t. The first night everyone was open to having a good time and it seemed like “real” personalities were coming through but by the second night… well it felt like we were in 8th grade again (I didn't HATE 8th grade but let's just say I was glad to move on from that time).

So anyway, you had your single people that you couldn’t believe weren’t married, your married people that you couldn’t believe were, the people w/kids and the ones without. So many different roads taken and changes all across the board. There were probably about 3 or 4 girls that looked really great and were always very pretty and there were some that were very pretty and had come a long way (that was cool to see). People had aged very differently and I suppose I was thankful that time has been pretty good to us. The funniest part of it all- the guys changed THE MOST. The unattractive ones were more attractive and the attractive ones all looked sort-of the same and not all that standout anymore.

No one really talked about what they do, mostly about where they lived but that was really the extent of it. There were a few memories here and there but we all seemed to have forgotten almost all the details of that part of our lives.

No one that I thought would remember the Captain and I as a couple together seemed to (give or take a few folks) and I was reminded of just how not into the social scene I was back then. I mean I knew people, got along with most of them, and I think was generally accepted but I didn’t want to be close to them or should I say I never shared much in common with most of them. So many of them seemed mean, misguided, or just terribly shallow. I’m not trying to judge them but I just feel like there is a side to a lot of my classmates that isn’t very nice. Maybe it is a defense thing or something?

I’m just glad to be in my real life again. It is nice to be away from the pressures of that many peers constantly fighting for pecking order or whatever. The people I know now are kind, loving and nice (during my time in school I really didn’t know there were many “nice” people out there). I guess maybe one of the reasons I’m so connected with the people in my life is due to the fact that they are mostly Christians- thank God. That commonality makes all the difference. Life is all about choices, I’m glad the choices are more varied at this stage.

Life is good.