High School Reunion

"All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better."  Ralph Waldo Emerson

Recently I attended my 35th high school reunion.  Now this was the first reunion that I have gone to since graduating in 1973!

When I got the invitation that had our mascot,  the terrific Piasa Bird, printed on it, I could not resist the temptation to go.  I was a little afraid to have to attend all by myself, with not spouse hanging on my arm,  but send in the check for the food, I did!

As luck would have it my sister and her family live close to the restaurant where the reunion was being held.  I had a great place to stay and people I love to hang out with before I walked into that room of total strangers!   Yes, although I went to school with those people they all seemed strange to me!

I had a momentary attack of nerves before I had to get ready to go.  Really I thought of backing out.   I am a bit heavier than I was in high school and I didn't have that many friends anyway.

I braved it out, walked up to the registration table and felt more comfortable when someone recognized right away.  

I sat with an old friend and his wife(well really he was a boyfriend before he was a friend)  and had a couple of Vodka Martinis. I couldn't really eat much because I was too nervous.  

Then just when I was getting ready to leave ( my sister called to tell me she was on the way,  you see I never drink and drive,  you learn these lessons as you get older!) another old boyfriend, who I didn't even see arrive called out my name.  

It was fun to see people that I haven't seen for 35 years. Most of the women look a lot like they did in high school, some slightly heavier  but, most of the guys I would not even have know if I had seen them on the street!  

So will I go back in 5 years and see what everyone looks like then,  I think I might.

One thing that took my by total surprise, was the memorial board.  It had not occurred to me that people from my class had died.   Of course, one died in  a car accident when we were in high school, but several have died in 2003 and 2005.   I don't know why I was surprised, but my own mortality  was suddenly right up there in the front of my mind. 

All in all I had a fun experience, with this little experiment of doing something all by myself that I have never done before and have been afraid of doing!

What other experiments can I try?   How about you, any life experiments you are thinking of tyring?