20 years in the making.

As you may or may not have heard, when I went to Colorado for summer vacation, it was not only to bask in the cool mountain air and visit with parents. I had my 20th high school reunion. 20 years, where did that time go? Wasn’t it just yesterday I was getting perms, wearing all black, dying to get a new pair of Guess jeans? I loved my Vans, and I loved me some 80′s hair metal. Flash Forward 20 years and I’m back. The get togethers started earlier in the week, and it was so great to start catching up with classmates earlier on, before the main festivities began. I was friends with most of these people since elementary school, and it was good to see them and meet their kids and catch up on their lives. Even though we have Facebook these days, it doesn’t even put a dent on having a nice sit down conversation with someone.
It’s time for the big Friday night shindig .. and I will admit, I was nervous, I walked into that room and I thought to myself. “self, you have come a long way since DHS, lets have some fun” I wasn’t there to hash up old grudges,which there were some… I take pics, I hate getting my pic taken – I look like a dork.. all the time! ..and I didn’t talk to people that I didn’t talk to in HS, what would be the point? Really? I went to enjoy the company of old friends and meet their spouses and hear about their kids. I drank some good beer. I was told I hadn’t changed at all, but really.. I have. In highschool, I was insecure.. awkward.. and heartbroken. Please tell me, I”VE CHANGED! Now, I think of myself as secure with who I am, still awkward but I accept it and madly in love. I have 2 gorgeous kids and have been successful in my life, love and marriage. I have traveled. I have lived in big cities. I have made some fantastic friends on my journey from there to here. I realized that even though you were an idiot in HS, and you might still be an idiot today, you don’t effect my life one way or the other, so hey.. be an idiot.. if that works for you.. GREAT. I also realized that high school maybe wasn’t as tragic as I had it made up in my head. It wasn’t the best time in my life, but it certainly molded me in the person I am today. So for that DHS.. I thank you! Thanks to the bullys, your words hurt then, but guess who didn’t show to the reunion? Cowards! The weekend was over before we knew it, my stomach was sore from laughing, my face hurt from smiling and if you have a reunion coming up, I highly suggest you go and take it all with a grain of salt. These are memories you cannot buy… anywhere!

I said I was done, that I had seen enough.. no more reunions for me. But now that I’m home, have had time to reflect … Im looking forward to number 30. My son will be 21 then, he’ll get to go have beers with his mom!! Nevermind. Im in no rush to the 30year!