Sunday, August 21, 2005
Reunion Post Mortem
I've been back from my High School reunion for 2 weeks and I still have not done laundry. Scary, huh?
Some random thoughts I've had about my reunion and then I'll quit yammering about it: It was so cool to listen as a wife of one of my classmates talked about how her husband planned an elaborate birthday surprise for her. He sent the kids to friend's houses, he cooked dinner, he gave her a manicure and pedicure and a massage and did them all in different voices. I thought that was so incredibly sweet what he had done and it made me proud to know such a caring man.
I listened as 2 friends discussed how they are trying to encourage their sons to read better. They both lamented that they didn't feel 100% comfortable with reading, but they didn't want their sons to feel that way so they were working extra hard with them. I was touched because I didn't know my friend's struggle when we were younger and I was touched because it was so apparent how each of my friend's adored their children.
I became transfixed with watching the hands of a man I used to date when we were kids. I remember studying his hands when I was dating him and how those same hands look different but the same to me now.
I hugged a friend that you could tell really needed a hug. I have been known to give pretty good hugs in my day, but it was more a real need for affection, and as I pulled away and looked into their eyes I think there was a glint of tears there despite the smile.
I looked at scrapbooks of my friends and saw pictures of myself where I couldn't recognize myself. When I finally realized I was looking at me, I was shocked at how skinny I was. I wasn't anorexic by any stretch of the imagination, but I was thin! I thought I was such a huge cow at the time and it made me so sad to think how little I thought of myself back then. It makes me cry to just sit and think about that right now. How different of a person would I be now if I realized how beautiful and valuable I was back then?
Don't get me wrong - I value the lessons I've learned to get to be the person I am today, but sometimes I still ache for the younger me that struggled so hard and seemed to learn most of her lessons the hard way. If only I had known then what I know now?
I was so glad to be able to have the experience I did going home for the reunion and I'm so thankful that I went. I do believe I'll be back for the 25th or the 30th.
:-)
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Some random thoughts I've had about my reunion and then I'll quit yammering about it: It was so cool to listen as a wife of one of my classmates talked about how her husband planned an elaborate birthday surprise for her. He sent the kids to friend's houses, he cooked dinner, he gave her a manicure and pedicure and a massage and did them all in different voices. I thought that was so incredibly sweet what he had done and it made me proud to know such a caring man.
I listened as 2 friends discussed how they are trying to encourage their sons to read better. They both lamented that they didn't feel 100% comfortable with reading, but they didn't want their sons to feel that way so they were working extra hard with them. I was touched because I didn't know my friend's struggle when we were younger and I was touched because it was so apparent how each of my friend's adored their children.
I became transfixed with watching the hands of a man I used to date when we were kids. I remember studying his hands when I was dating him and how those same hands look different but the same to me now.
I hugged a friend that you could tell really needed a hug. I have been known to give pretty good hugs in my day, but it was more a real need for affection, and as I pulled away and looked into their eyes I think there was a glint of tears there despite the smile.
I looked at scrapbooks of my friends and saw pictures of myself where I couldn't recognize myself. When I finally realized I was looking at me, I was shocked at how skinny I was. I wasn't anorexic by any stretch of the imagination, but I was thin! I thought I was such a huge cow at the time and it made me so sad to think how little I thought of myself back then. It makes me cry to just sit and think about that right now. How different of a person would I be now if I realized how beautiful and valuable I was back then?
Don't get me wrong - I value the lessons I've learned to get to be the person I am today, but sometimes I still ache for the younger me that struggled so hard and seemed to learn most of her lessons the hard way. If only I had known then what I know now?
I was so glad to be able to have the experience I did going home for the reunion and I'm so thankful that I went. I do believe I'll be back for the 25th or the 30th.
:-)
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