Reunion Lesson

Over the holiday, I attended my 20 year high school reunion.  I was surprised at how quickly it seemed to creep up on me, but when I thought about all I’ve been through in the last 20 years it feels like a lifetime ago.

I was the quiet, shy girl in school who followed the rules and was middle of the road.  I wasn’t an outcast, but I wasn’t popular either.  I didn’t belong to any ‘cliques.’  I played tennis, was in drama club and sung in the choir.  My first boyfriend was in 10th grade and my second was in my senior year... and I didn’t sleep with either one.

My high school boyfriends treated me better than my husbands did.  Maybe it was the whole too-young-to-know-better thing or just teenage innocence.  Or maybe it was because sex wasn’t part of the equation.  I took it seriously, it wasn’t casual and sexual intimacy didn’t muck up my mind or feelings.

I got reacquainted with old friends, made new ones, and realized I’m not the only one who has suffered some setbacks in life.  Sadly, I wasn’t the only person divorced more than once.  A few lucky people are married for 15+ years and are still happy.

It was wonderful to reflect back on those years; days when friendships felt stronger and relationships were more innocent.  I don’t regret the bad parts of my life…it made me who I am today.  Self-sufficient, strong, independent, and wise enough to spot and avoid red flags early.

Some people aged well, some didn’t, and on that scale, I’m happy to have landed on the upside.  Most classmates recognized me and I was pleasantly surprised by the cheers when I was introduced.  I never realized how many friends a shy girl like me really had in school and how many I lost touch with when we graduated.