I received an email last week that plans were being made for my 30th class reunion. Good heavens, I honestly don't know where the time has gone since we were fresh-faced kids; excited and more than a little anxious about our futures! The four of us in this picture spent a lot of time together in and out of school - I'm the one on the far right. The friend in the dark gown graduated from a different high school. So much has happened to all of us since this picture was snapped in June of 1977 - relationships, jobs, broken hearts, marriages, children, divorce, even three grandchildren for one of them! One of these women was the perfect stay-at-home mother of three girls, always making me feel guilty about being a working mother, until the day about seven years ago when she left her husband and daughters and moved out of state with a guy she met on the internet. This was shocking and totally tragic for her family; many broken hearts and continued brittle feelings over that one. You sure never know . . .
I've never gone to a single one of the previous reunions for my class. To be honest, I just haven't cared to. My opinion, small-minded as it may be, is that I see everyone I care to as it is. I wasn't friends with most of the people who attend the reunions when I was in school. I wasn't extremely popular or active in school and wasn't concerned about it. I loved to be with my friends, and the cuter I looked while I was hanging out with them, the better, as far as I was concerned! I was an average student, something my mother always told me I would regret. Who knew that mom was right and that someday I'd wish that I'd had higher expectations of myself. I've wished for years that I'd had the drive to go to college so I could be an elementary art school teacher. Girls didn't seem to be pushed towards higher education as much back then, and most were happy to settle into a secretarial job, just as I did. I took every office education class you could take - bookkeeping, typing, shorthand, and attended the local vocational school my last two years of high school in a secretarial course titled "High Skill Steno" - I enjoyed it and was good at it - that was enough for me then. Now I wish that I had wanted more. With two daughters to educate and weddings to someday pay for, I know that I will never do anything different. To be honest, right now I'm thinking more towards retirement than a career change. As much as I enjoy my job, I look forward to the day that I don't have to do it any longer!
Do any of you attend your class reunions? How have you changed or grown since leaving high school? Anything you wish that you had done differently?
Laurie
xo
5 comments:
Hey cutie. I went to my 5 year reunion and never went to another. The 5 year one was a joke, same clique people that I didnt' like back then. I think I have changed somewhat since high school though I am still pretty quiet. (really Laurie I am)
I am like you I see those I like from high school. Mostly its my friend Ann and that is Ok with me.
I wish I would have made myself go to college but I just wasn't ready.
I went to my 10-yr and probably won't go to another one. Most of my real friends didn't go, and though there were a few people I was happy to see, I had more fun away from the reunion events.
I can't say I have any major regrets - I took the path that I wanted at the time, and sometimes I'll look back and think "why didn't I do ---" but overall, it worked out fine. I'm just glad it's over and I don't have to go back LOL
I went to my 10th and 20th. At the 10th, I was pregnant with my second child and we sat at the table with some of my friends that we see at church anyway. At the 20th, it was very casual and it was mostly friends from the group I hung around with. We rented out a building at a local lake, had a DJ and BBQ, and we all had a great time. I would go to one like that again.
I went to college right out of high school, and it was a joke. I treated it like high school. I went back about 10 or 11 years ago, and finished up some core classes. I realized I really hate biology! Then I got pregnant with our third child and stopped going. I really wish I had taken it more seriously right out of high school.
Thanks, guys, for stopping by! I think you're all wonderful, whether or not you have any niggling of regret for what might have been. I truly am satisfied with my life, but every now and then I do think "What if . . ." Those thoughts don't stick around very long.
I haven't gone to any of my reunions (I think there's only been one - not sure!). I didn't hang out with many people that I graduated with anyway. The 2 girls from my class that I did hang out with now live in other states and were unable to attend.
I don't have any real regrets about school, but I do wish that I was more serious about my grades. I went to college straight after high school and I'm glad. Not sure that I would have gone back to school if I didn't!
Post a Comment