The third day of my trip was the day of my 20th Reunion.
I was nervous before I got there. What do you say to people you haven't seen in twenty years about all that's been gone on since then, especially when the things most on my mind aren't things I can share? But for better or for worse, I managed to do a decent job of being me. It took twenty years out of high school and the last four years of damn hard work, but I tried to see people with new and open eyes, to let them see me as I am. I brought all my flaws and all my strengths in the door with me, and walked right back out with them at the end of the night. I was me.
Some folks were glad to see me. Some folks were critical. Some folks remembered me fondly. Some folks didn't remember me well enough (or fondly enough) to talk to me at all. Some folks were reliving old high school traumas or hurts or insecurities. Some folks were just catching up. Some folks were drunk or stoned or high. Some folks were perfectly sober. It was all ok. It was just beautiful to be back. It was beautiful to be me. I had a delightful time, and I caught up and reconnected with a lot of very special people: people I treasure, people I love having in my life.
The pictures I took that day (and night) all have faces. So, you'll all have to wait until tomorrow for the rest of my hand and foot photo documentary.
Ah, I just typed a comment, and then it disappeared! Ah, I hate it when that happens! Just wanted to say that I'm glad you had a good time. When is Pat's wedding, though? I'm confused. I thought you were going to Pat's wedding but it was your high school reunion. You should give me detention for not paying attention.
It is a little confusing; the reunion and the wedding are actually two separate events, a few weeks apart, but both requiring air travel. So, I'll be taking another hiatus and boarding another airplane in two weeks. This much travel at this point in my life is actually very unusual for me.
New to your blog and have really enjoyed reading in your archives these past couple of hours. There is something about the way you write that pulls me right in and damn it!, I'm hooked!
Thank-you for sharing with such depth and honesty and openess. It is a gift to read you words.
And I could FEEL you at this reunion, feel what it must have been like to enter knowing you would be yourself and that this is enough, is all we really have. To know this is a freedom.
Somehow, we turn into different people when being watched. I have a "public persona", too... But at the very least, I am aware when it appears on stage and I try to be an unbiased witness. Maybe someday I won't need it anymore.
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now I'm sad i didn't go to mine.