No Goodbyes.

Boonton Class of 64: 50+1 Reunion

First we ask the question, “what do I want to do when I grow up”. Then we think about how we are spending our lives and now,  how do  I want to do with the rest of my life.  My mother had a pal who used to say, "--  middle age is when you have passed the point where what's left of your life falls way short of the time you have already lived."

This weekend I went to my golden plus High School Reunion. To celebrate the occasion I brought gold glitter for everyone to wear…. On their hair (if they had hair!)  or wherever else it meandered. We all looked smashing.  You should know up front, high school was wonderful. The fact that I graduated with D’s in two required courses was a blessing. But no one was going to stop me from going to college,  and marry the guy I had been dating for two whole years—who was in Boston.  

That didn't happen, of course. It turned out that college was even more fun than high school. It was amazing to be without parental supervision, and surrounded by these fabulous women, who were also stoked about four years in a place that could only get better and better.  While there were some hard times, emotionally,  in high school (mostly involving boys), that was not the case in college.  (Where I decided not to marry the guy I was crazy about, and he graduated and married someone else).

Back to the reunion. There was not a moment of angst. The people who were there were all people I loved. And when I see them it just makes me happy.  People always ask me if I have anything in common with “old” high school friends. It seems to me that this is an odd question. Of course you have things in common.  Maybe your professional lives have gone in different directions, but there are many things on which to catch up and once you get through the “do you remembers?”, there are plenty of things to talk/laugh about.   

We danced, we ate, we drank—maybe a bit too much, but when I looked around the room, I was so happy that I didn’t want to say Goodbye. Goodbyes have never been easy for me. Especially when I have to say goodbye to people I love.  I missed the class picture, so maybe David can photoshop me in. But had we stayed longer, I would have been forced to say goodbye, and it was impossible for me to face that.  

Hopefully there are a number of us who will get together before the next five years race by, as they no doubt will. That would be nice.   The people who were at the reunion from the Class of '64 are so much a part of who I am today. There  is no way to express my thanks to every one of them who shaped my life. Who were always  in my head, reminding me wherever I travelled and no matter what I did,  that I came from, Boonton High School. They will forever be in my heart. And there will never be any goodbyes.  We're Just Sayin'... Iris