30 years

What beautiful friends

Graduation day 1979

I think I characterized myself as apathetic. So apathetic that I planned on not attending my 30th high school reunion even though I live just 10 miles from my school. I in fact had let the organizer of the event know just that when she called my cell phone to beg me to attend. (How did she get my cell number anyway?)

If it were not for a dear, sweet, and positive friend (how we became friends I'm not sure) who conspired with other friends to get me to the event with a promise of just getting together with a few women, I would have had a nice RELAXING evening at home. After visiting with my good friends they dropped the noose and I knew I was going....lucky I felt it was important to look nice for old friends I hadn't seen in a long time.

I was really apprehensive as we walked down the steps of the Walnut Creek Marriott into one of their event rooms. Kind of like prom without the hassle of a date.There were quite a few people there who, like me, looked like a variation on the original of themselves. I searched name tags that luckily hosted a copy of high school grad pics. Some familiar faces stared back at me.

What an adventure. Marriages, divorce, illness, children, careers, people who looked just like they always did, people who were totally unrecognizable. It was a parade of the good, the bad, and the ugly!

I learned a lot about myself. I don't like crowds. I'm not outgoing, I'm shy. I'm very private. I have an easier time getting along with men in social situations--they just aren't that complicated!

After about three hours, I'd had enough. It was time to go. I followed the advice of a good friend and never once slipped back into who I had been, so long ago.