Boy, was I wrong!

[johniam]

Last weekend I went to my 40th year high school reunion. Totally euphoric experience.

Last year I posted somewhere about how I'd paid a price for choosing twi and how nobody from before twi wanted anything to do with me. Well, last December I was sent a link to the reunion website. Ever since then the anticipation had been building to a climax. Pretty much every day I'd spend time thinking about what I'd say to whom. Not distracted to the point that I couldn't focus on anything else, but definitely fixated.

I figured they'd remember what a stoner I was plus maybe they heard I was in a religious cult so I wasn't sure that anybody would want to talk to me. (Umm...I don't know that guy.)But I had to find out. I didn't go to the 10 year reunion because it was during Living Victoriously. I plain chickened out of the 20 year one and we didn't have a 30th, so I hadn't seen most of those folks since HS.

The reunion website allowed private communication between anyone who registered on it, and 2 guys sent messages to me. I sent messages to 2 others which were answered positively. During the last month there was a final count of who was coming. Our class had over 400 in it and about 100 came. I prepared by reading people's personal profiles, pouring over yearbooks, and just letting whatever memories I had come. Most of us didn't bring spouses, rather brothers, friends, or people from other graduating classes. I came with the guy who got me in the word, also a classmate. He wasn't expecting much, but had long conversations with 3 different people and was glad he came.

When we got there my stomach was in a knot. Emotionally charged up. Some recognized me instantly, others were amazed when they saw my nametag. I still thought it possible that not many would want to talk to me; thought I might spend most of the night at the bar. I did have 6 drinks; more than usual for me, and the adrenaline I felt absorbed all the alcohol. But I had a wonderful time.

I kept going from person to person, small group to small group, talked to several people, at least 15-20 or more. No awkward moments. I had a few very pleasant conversations with people I didn't care for while in HS. One guy came all the way from Austrailia. Going to this satisfied my curiosity, and, I think, did the same for others about me. I'm guessing that some people, after talking to me, thought to themselves, "How does he remember that...in fact, how does he remember ANYTHING?"

Anybody haver similar experiences with reunions???

[waysider]

I missed my 10^th,20^th,30^th and 40^th. Will there be a 50^th? I don't know. I'll probably miss that one, too. Besides, most of the guys I would have liked to see again never made it back from Nam in one piece. I'm glad you had a good time, though. I really mean that.

edit:

I'm not sure why I posted this. I don't spend much time thinking about it. Probably because it usually leaves me feeling a bit melancholy.

Edited August 9, 2012 by waysider

[Linda Z]

I'm glad you overcame your angst and went, Johniam. And I'm glad it was a good experience for you.

I've found that the more years pass, the more my high school classmates seem to appreciate each other, regardless of who/where we were "back then." Time seems to be a great equalizer.

At our 10-year reunion, the people who were full of themselves in high school were still trying to strut their superiority, but by the 40th, everyone was pretty much glad to see each other and happy to still be kickin'!

As the years continue to roll along, we get more and more emails or other notifications that one of our classmates has died. In fact, I just found out today on Facebook that we lost another one. That's always sad news, but it does sort of bring the rest of us closer together, like survivors in a lifeboat.

[outandabout]

I went to my 30th. No more cliques. Some of the "cool" girls actually sat down with my best friend & me.

[excathedra]

johnyouare, i am sooooooooooo happy you went and that it was good

i went to my 20th it was really good

last weekend my oldest sister went to her 40th and my youngest brother went to his 30th

[johniam]

I thought of something. Didn't occur to me until a week ago. Most here, I think, still believe in the hope, the return, the gathering together. Now THAT is going to be the reunion to end all reunions. Imagine what that will be like. Hopefully we'll get to visit with each other for a bit before we help Jesus annihilate the unbelievers, or whatever.

[waysider]

...we'll get to visit with each other for a bit before we help Jesus annihilate the unbelievers, or whatever.

Yeah!

Annihilate those filthy heathens!

That's what I'm talkin' about!

[socks]

"There is power in the blood"....

a3

[dabobbada]

Welll,...

It's not really like annihilation,....

It's more like,...

a flamethrow,..?!?

No!

It's all blood and guts and gory gore !!!

NO, No,....no,.....

(sorry, I got carried away,..)

....er,.......

Well,... it's sort of like,....

The glow from our faces turns their sin nature rock hard and they die of constipati....

Or you could say it's kind of off white, ... like eggshell,... or the color of wheat....

[Human without the bean]

Thanks for sharing johniam. Food for thought.

[WordWolf]

I thought of something. Didn't occur to me until a week ago. Most here, I think, still believe in the hope, the return, the gathering together. Now THAT is going to be the reunion to end all reunions. Imagine what that will be like. Hopefully we'll get to visit with each other for a bit before we help Jesus annihilate the unbelievers, or whatever.

As much as I appreciate the chance to hit something that needs breaking,

the chance to meet with Christians through the centuries and ones I've met before

will be much more interesting.

That's not even counting the chance to be face-to-face with my Lord and Savior.

I've tentative plans for a barbeque at my place the second Tuesday after we meet up.

[johniam]

LCM used to say that part of our hope was what was going to happen to the unbelievers. One of his fantasies was to fly around and knock down church steeples, I think. But let's not get ahead of ourselves; the reunion part! That's the ticket. Yeah, the reunion.

Maybe we WILL fight with unbelievers, but maybe we'll have desk jobs during the Armageddon war and then we'll be cops and social workers during the 1,000 years that the devil is chained up. I don't know.

[socks]

A very interesting topic, indeed.

There's a lot of religious thought that has the idea that Alabama3 invoke. I highly recommend their song "Power in the Blood", at high volume. They definitely reconstruct the vibe of those people just itching to get The End started.

LCM was a deluded stooge. I have to give myself a few minutes to work up a positive image of him just to not go off on a rip on how lame he really was.

However - and if the Almighty is reading this I'm on your side, Sir - there is a tone to the OT and some of the NT that if you flip the Creator off too many times you're gonna get it. I suppose there will need to be eyes and ears on the ground to handle it...you know, that thing. Did you take care of that thing He told you about? Yeah, that one. Good.

I'm ready. If it's not the way I expect, doesn't matter, I adapt. It's not personal, it's business.

[excathedra]

I thought of something. Didn't occur to me until a week ago. Most here, I think, still believe in the hope, the return, the gathering together. Now THAT is going to be the reunion to end all reunions. Imagine what that will be like. Hopefully we'll get to visit with each other for a bit before we help Jesus annihilate the unbelievers, or whatever.

i hope we get to drink and get high. i don't want to anninilate anyone - let me know when you're done