There are few things that make you feel quite as old as being reminded how many years it has been since you graduated from high school. And this year, that number is a whopping 2-0! It is nuts to think it has been two decades since I left Scarlett, full of dreams for the future and excitement for the unknown possibilities that lay ahead.
A reunion of sorts was planned for this past weekend -- an evening at Schanks started on Facebook and spread to alumni by word of mouth. I had a great experience in high school and thought it would be fun to see some faces from my past and catch up with old friends. It was funny to see how little things have changed in 20 years!
I met up with some girlfriends at Misty's house first, where they had some pre-reunion drinks and we chatted. Then, like in the 90s, we loaded into the car and I drove everyone to the bar. Granted, now it's a minivan with remote door openers, but the spirit is the same.
When we got to the bar, there were people I haven't seen since graduation and others that I have seen off and on over the years and still others I see regularly and are among my best friends. Everyone looked pretty much the same as they did in high school. Some had a little bit less hair, a few wrinkles, a couple of extra pounds, but all-in-all we all looked like we did in school. And the personalities are the same -- the social butterflies of the past are still flitting, the party animals remain the life of the party, and the quieter ones stay in their comfort zones with the people they know best.
We all chatted about old times, our new lives, and shared a lot of laughs. We found out about friends-of-friends who couldn't make it, and I know I missed a few of my best friends from high school who weren't able to be there. But it was so great to reconnect with the people who were a big part of my teen life and shaped who I am today. Of course, staying out until 2 am was a lot easier as a kid (thank God I still don't drink or it would have been really ugly Sunday, right Shawna?!) but it was well worth it! I just hope it isn't another 20 years before I see a lot of these faces again.
