Going Home?
I have always been the kind of
person that when a chapter in my life is over I cross it off. Been there done that and on to the next. Besides they say you can never go home. So when my 30th class reunion came
around this past week I wasn’t going to go.
I made up every excuse I could, Merrie L. and Holly B., two friends I’ve
known since I was 12 years old weren’t going, so why should I? My husband who graduated a year earlier
didn’t want to go, so why should I? I
was throwing a mini tantrum in my brain, no, No, NO! I won’t go! But I
did.
Years ago I had gone to my 5th year
reunion and found out through rumors that I had a child and gave it up for
adoption. Man that’s something I think I
would have remembered if it happened but it didn’t. I thought I had left silly high school drama
behind at graduation so I didn’t go to anymore reunions. I tried to make it for the 10th year
but dropped out. I liked my privacy and
I figured if I kept them guessing what was happening in my life maybe someone
would start up the next round of rumors that I had married Tom Cruise and
joined Scientology, surprise that didn’t happen either.
I look at life a little differently
since my fight with incurable Ovarian Cancer began in 2010. No longer do I have time for political
correctness, rude neighbors (behind me) or people who have a need to make up
stories for whatever reason. By now I
hoped we had grown up, me included.
Months earlier after my diagnosis I
toured Timpview High School with my sister and walked the halls down memory
lane. So it was easy for me to talk
myself out of attending the reunion dinner and tour of the school.
It wasn’t until the next day when my
classmates would have a picnic that the voice in my head slowly began to fade. Finally about 6PM I told my husband we’re
going in 20 minutes. Though he wasn’t
interested he said he would support me no matter what I chose to do (I love
that man).
I drove knowing full well I could
turn back. I had that choice. Once I got there the first person I saw was
Susan L. Her smile comforted me and let
me know all would be okay along with a hug from Shannon B. It was as though they hadn’t aged a day. As I began to make the rounds hugging and
laughing remembering faces and forgetting names, I was brought back to a
conversation I once had with my step daughter, Jamie. While observing my mother in law and my own
mother who were laughing and talking she looked at me wide eyed, “Mama Jack,
they’re giggling like two little school girls.”
I smiled then as I did at the picnic
realizing the body gets old but the soul stays young. Everyone there looked as I remembered them
back in ‘82, handsome, beautiful and full of life.
I share the picture below because
even though we are pushing 50 it looks as though we are looking into the
future, much like we did when we graduated back in 1982, but this time instead
of college and marriage its grandkids and retirement. To my classmates you are all wonderful and
thank you for the experiences good and bad.
As I stated before, they say you can never go home but I realized I
never left.
Love the way you tied the post up with a single sentence at the end, what a great writer you are!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you went Aunt Jackie :) Althought I can't speak from experience, it seems like High School Reunions are about looking back at who you were, how you have changed, and whats coming. I obviously didn't know you back in your High School days, but we would've been best friends ;)
ReplyDeleteI am speechless. What a beautiful piece. How I wish I could have made it to the reunion! I had to laugh because I had heard that I, too, was pregnant and that's why I had left Utah in 1984. Like you, I would have remembered that experience! :). You look radiant in this picture! I can't wait to read more of your blog!
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