25-Year Class Reunion

     I haven't thought of myself as a very social person in a long, long time.  But last night, I had one of the best social experiences of my life.  It was my 25th class reunion.  The experience of reconnecting with the people that were my friends during the formative and sometimes awkward teen years was just amazing.  25 years later, and it really felt like we picked right back up where we left off.

     What is most stunning about that to me, is that most of us have been outside of our little isolated community during the time that has passed.  We've carved out a niche for ourselves wherever we have ended up in the world.  We've had jobs, careers, marriages, children, divorces, illnesses, and losses.  We've been experiencing life, disconnected from each other.  Yet suddenly, 20-30 of us are in a room together.  We are visiting, laughing, crying, catching up, and reminding each other of funny things that happened during high school.  

    It is true magic.  

    I am so thankful that social media has allowed us to have some way to connect to each other.  Most of us have been able to interact through Facebook.  We've had virtual conversations, and been able to keep tabs on life events because technology has allowed us to do so.  We've been able to browse each other's photo albums and poke around profiles to see where each other is working, who we're hanging out with, and what part of the world we now call home. We are able to read each other's posts and commiserate over life's frustrations and trials, as well as rejoice in celebrations and blessings together, even if only in cyberspace.  

     Wow, we are so fortunate!  We still know each other.  Reunions are a lot less awkward this way.  

     For me, social media has really given me an anchor over the past eight months. When I left my job, I instantly lost almost all of my day-to-day friendships.  It was mostly my resurrected high school friendships that allowed me to realize that who I am was not completely killed off with my career.  People have encouraged me through Facebook posts and messages.  Most of them don't even have a clue that some of their random posts were encouraging to me.  Some, unknowingly, have even saved my life.  

    This post has totally not gone where I expected it to when I began writing it.  That's ok.  This is my blog, and my thoughts can ramble wherever they wish.  So I'm just gonna go with it.

     I remember not long after I graduated, my dad said there was just something different about my class.  We seemed, for the most part, to have a certain closeness.  I know he was right.  I am truly grateful for this wonderful group of people that is the Class of 1988.  

     I hope the Class of 1988 gets to see more of each other.  I've really missed these friends.  I'm so thankful that they still accept me, scars and all.  Not one of my classmates who knows my whole story of leaving my career have turned their back on me.  My dad saw something special in this group long before we ever could know how important it would be.  To this day, I can't identify what it is that made us "different" from other groups of classmates.  

    For me, it's enough to just accept the explanation that my class and the friendships we've shared is true magic and I am just one lucky girl.