Chapters of Life.....

I've just returned from my 30 year high school reunion in Niceville, Florida. It was a bittersweet experience. On one hand it was really great to see some of my former classmates. On the other hand though, I was very disappointed that many of my favorite people didn't come and I didn't get to spend time with them. I actually drove the farthest to attend the reunion (800 miles one way).

Another sample of bitter sweetness was in realizing just how many members of my small graduating class of 400, have already passed away. The number is around 14 confirmed, but I believe there are a few more that we just haven't been able to pend down. I know for a fact, a few more will probably pass on before the next reunion.

It's quite an experience to attend school with a number of friends and classmates and then not see or speak to them for 10 years at a time (or even 20 years if they skip a reunion). Each get-together revealed almost startling changes amongst each of us. Changes in weight, for some in height (there are a number of individuals that grew 3-6 inches AFTER high school), a change in marital status was a "biggy", as was the amount of hair on the men's heads and or the hair coloring (I saw lots of silver hair at this past event and that included my own whenever I looked into the mirror).

Here's an irony, I was talking to a former classmate and he was telling me about all of the exciting things he and his 15 year old son had been doing recently. When I told him that my "baby" was in her mid-twenties and that I had a 14 year old grandson, he just stood there and stared at me in disbelief. He was in no way ready to even think about being a grandfather yet, and here, I've been one for over a decade already.

Some of the folks looked dramatically different than they did when we graduated high school back in 1977. A really strange thing is though, some of the folks looked almost no different whatsoever! It was down right spooky. How did they do that? I've really enjoyed over the past three reunions, held 10 years apart, observing the differences and changes that take place amongst my classmates.

It was also pointed out to me, that for the first time since our high school years, there were no cliques! Even at the 20 year reunion, people grouped together like they had back in high school. We had lots of cliques, band members, jocks, "Boggy Boys", the straight A students, you name it. But at this last reunion, it just seemed like there were no borders. Everyone visited with everyone and had a good time doing it. I saw folks sharing with each other that I'm pretty darn sure they had probably never ever spoken to each other before that day. It was a great sight.

I was fascinated with the fact, that some of those who most of us thought would never really succeed in life - have succeeded big time. I was disappointed and heartbroken over hearing how some of those, who's lives looked very promising back in 1977, have been unable to rise above mediocrity though. I was able to measure myself and my current status in life by comparing how some of my friends have fared. I'm not doing too badly but I could be doing much better.

And that's what I thought about on the 800 mile drive home. I had a realization that I personally have a choice on how I want my life to be at the next reunion - the next chapter.