I can't type that in any way that makes it look less scary. Twenty years.....such a long time but really, it goes by quick. I graduated from a small-ish high school that was actually knocked down last year because they built a new one. High school, like for lots of people, wasn't easy. I wasn't popular but I had friends. Good friends, considering how many of them I'm still friends with today. I got made fun of for being timid, wearing glasses and having a name different than all of the Jennifers and Jessicas of my day. (That would be today's Emmas, Hayleys or Nevaehs, or whatever is the flavor of the year) Today I'm a bit outspoken, sarcastic (in a good way) and I think, occasionally funny. I'm also forgiving....twenty years is a long time to hold a grudge for someone who teased you. My friend Jen said something profound a few years ago...One shouldn't hold people to who they were in high school because it says nothing about the person that they've become today." Those years are hell for everyone, even if at the time it doesn't seem like it.
Thinking back to all of that, you might think that I'd hesitate when I got the invite on Facebook. NOPE. I was ready to go, I wanted to see all of these people and how they turned out. Always the sociologist, I wanted to see if they stayed the same and show that I'm not the same person that I was 20 years ago. I bought a ticket as soon as I could, I bought two tickets, one for me and one for my friend who ended up not making it from Illinois due to family commitment, so Hubby was my plus one. And I'm so glad I went, because I ended up having a really good time!
Apparently, 20 years is the magic number where there's, to quote Mary J. Blige, "No More Drama." People couldn't be more welcoming or nicer. It's a time for friends to come together, to share the experience of growing up together. It was great to see familiar faces, talk about fun times and basically let it all hang out. For a little while, I even forgot that I was at a high school function. I don't know, maybe it's my bittersweet nostalgia kicking in because my parents are selling their house in the town I grew up in after 31 years of living there. Either way, I'm glad it was a nice time.
Note: I didn't even worry about Brian not having fun for two reasons: people came up to him a couple of times and said "Hey I know who you are! You're Mr. Ginny!" He found that pretty funny, he's used to being called Will and Sean's Dad but not Mr. Ginny. One person even said "I love the pictures that your wife posts of your food on Facebook, you must be a great cook." (I wish I knew who said that!) Also, it turns out that if you put two submariners in a crowded room, they will find each other and trade Navy stories from their enlistments. :)
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