10 year reunion
How is it that a decade can pass so quickly? I'm fairly certain it was just yesterday that I was walking down the aisle with a maroon cap and gown, handing my mom a carnation, saying good-bye to my high school friends, never thinking it'd be 10 years until I saw some of them. And yet in the blink of an eye here it is, 1 marriage, 2 kids, 1 degree, several half marathons, jobs, and moves and 10 years later. So this past weekend, my class had a reunion. Several went golfing in the morning, but we don't golf so I opted to take a short run with my best high school friend, Mandy.
I'm so glad I did. It was 10 years of experiences pushed into 35 minutes, but so great. So great to learn that the rumors I'd heard about her were true but had brought her to a broken place where Jesus filled her heart. I cannot tell you the answered prayer that is! To hear about her husband, her step-kids, her job, her heart.
Later after family pictures and family lunch, it was time to head to meet the rest of the class. Out of our 23 graduates, 14 of us made the trek - some from blocks away, others of us from states away. Introductions were made (some of which were unnecessary thanks to Facebook), "what do you do?" asked, explanations given, memories and lives shared. Of course, there was a keg and stands to go along with it; I wouldn't have expected less, to be honest. But in the midst of their drinking games, I found that a childhood friend married such a sweet girl, another enjoys to mountain bike, kayak, snowboard, and run (we talked more that night than we probably ever really had), one friend is done having children, two others had them cuddled in their wombs, one is getting married, another contemplating surgery. I talked to everyone but some not as much as others.
Mandy and I giggled about stupid nights and I think we're both thankful we aren't who we were. Some haven't changed at all - at least not that night. The same familiar laughter I spent my whole childhood listening to came out in my pint-sized friend. The beautiful girls still beautiful, the boys filled out into men but still ornery. It's hard to believe that some of us spent 18 years of our lives together (some late-comers less) and now we've lived such separate lives for 10 years, a whole decade.
Strange how we are somewhat strangers now but that it feels so familiar being with them, like coming home. I guess that's what high school is like, what growing up is like. I just know I really do hope we don't have to wait 10 years to get together again.
I'm so glad I did. It was 10 years of experiences pushed into 35 minutes, but so great. So great to learn that the rumors I'd heard about her were true but had brought her to a broken place where Jesus filled her heart. I cannot tell you the answered prayer that is! To hear about her husband, her step-kids, her job, her heart.
Later after family pictures and family lunch, it was time to head to meet the rest of the class. Out of our 23 graduates, 14 of us made the trek - some from blocks away, others of us from states away. Introductions were made (some of which were unnecessary thanks to Facebook), "what do you do?" asked, explanations given, memories and lives shared. Of course, there was a keg and stands to go along with it; I wouldn't have expected less, to be honest. But in the midst of their drinking games, I found that a childhood friend married such a sweet girl, another enjoys to mountain bike, kayak, snowboard, and run (we talked more that night than we probably ever really had), one friend is done having children, two others had them cuddled in their wombs, one is getting married, another contemplating surgery. I talked to everyone but some not as much as others.
Mandy and I giggled about stupid nights and I think we're both thankful we aren't who we were. Some haven't changed at all - at least not that night. The same familiar laughter I spent my whole childhood listening to came out in my pint-sized friend. The beautiful girls still beautiful, the boys filled out into men but still ornery. It's hard to believe that some of us spent 18 years of our lives together (some late-comers less) and now we've lived such separate lives for 10 years, a whole decade.
Strange how we are somewhat strangers now but that it feels so familiar being with them, like coming home. I guess that's what high school is like, what growing up is like. I just know I really do hope we don't have to wait 10 years to get together again.
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