Tag Archives: high school reunion

Who Are You? Who, Who? I Really Wanna Know

The Who song quoted in the title was very apropos for our high school reunion weekend for two reasons. 1. The Who was the first concert that I ever went to, and 2. We had a high school graduating class of nearly 500 students and I thought that I knew and could put a name to a face for every one of them. Maybe I could back in the day, but…

Before we all got our name tags on, as I mingled and moved about the bar Friday night, occasionally popping into groups of former classmates, I’d hear the same question. People all over the room wanted to say “Who are you? to so many people. Is it because we are getting old? No, of course not. It’s because we were drinking! We’ll officially be old at our reunion in ten years. We’re not there yet.

“Count your age by friends, not years. Count life by smiles, not tears.” ~John Lennon

This was definitely a weekend of counting our age by friends. I’ve never been any where with so many smiles and hugs before. Even if we hadn’t seen each other in decades, everyone was greeted as if they were best friends just returning from vacation. And that is how I like to think of my high school graduating class. We’ve just taken vacations from the people who were like family during the five days a week that comprised every week of our 19 school years together.

You don’t have to have anything in common with people you’ve known since you were five. With old friends, you’ve got your whole life in common.” ~Lyle Lovett 

That Lyle Lovett quote hit me Saturday night at the formal reunion dinner when I was sitting at a table with some old friends and one of them said to me that in the weeks leading up to the reunion he found a class picture from kindergarten, when we were four or five years old, that included him, myself and a classmate of ours who had passed away. It had never occurred to me before that I had known this guy almost my entire life.

“Wrinkles will only go where the smiles have been” ~Jimmy Buffett

Yes, there were more wrinkles than the last time I saw all of you, but there were also more smiles too.

I have to give a big shout-out to the committee that organized our reunion. I’ve heard about other peoples reunions, and nothing compares with what these women did. Months of planning, effort and time turned into two nights that were enjoyed and memorable for so many people. Your efforts are appreciated by all. Because of our wonderful planning committee, we all know that we again beat our rival high school across town who chose to have their reunion the same night.

“It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

I chose to be stupid with my old friends. As I said, it was a 1980’s themed reunion, so of course we had to have an air guitar contest, which I happened to win. Thank you to Kym who caught the shot of me jumping off the chair!

All the fun and camaraderie were great, but I want everyone in my high school graduating class to know this next part. Back when we were in school, we did something good without even knowing it. There was one person at the reunion festivities, whom I shall not name, that came up to talk me. That person said that they had transferred to our school for their senior year after having spent their previous years in another school district.

This person said that at their previous school, everyone was in cliques. Most people at this persons school only socialized with the people just like them. The jocks hung out with the jocks. The band people with other band people and so on and so on. This person felt like they weren’t allowed to fit in at their previous school. This person said that when they came to our school, it was like a whole other world. They described feeling welcomed and wanted by everyone regardless what their interests or groups were.

“They have accepted me as an individual, as a personality, as an entity. I belong! I am important! I am somebody!” ~author Beatrice Sparks, Go Ask Alice

We did that. That’s who we are. Even if we don’t know “Who are you? Who, who?” we’re going to welcome you into our world.

It was wonderful seeing all of you this weekend, and I’m proud to call you my friends forever. ~Phil

Throwback Thursday! The Rolling Stones Are Liars: My 2013 High School Reunion

I’m posting this today because this weekend is ten years since that 2013 high school reunion, and I’m going to another high school reunion this weekend.

(07/27/13)  Of course the old people joke above doesn’t apply to me and all my classmates who are attending our reunion this weekend.  The high school reunion; that American institution where we renew friendships, reminisce, and catch up. We remember who we were and we talk about who we’ve become. Last night I had a very nice time talking with many, many old friends.

Back to my title. The Rolling Stones are big fat liars. Mick, Keith, Ron and Charlie. Every one a liar. Pants on fire. The whole nine yards. What did they lie about? They lied about time. Time is SO not on our side. Judging from how haggard The Rolling Stones look, time isn’t on their side either. Especially Keith.

I know where you think I’m going with this, but you’re wrong. Yeah, sorry about that. I’m not going to bemoan how the years have changed my classmates and I. If anything, I was pleasantly surprised by how good everyone looked. My old friends are happy and healthy and doing well. At least the ones that attended our reunion.

reunion

In addition to attending reunion activities I also went back to the neighborhood of my childhood. I’ve only been there a few times in the last twenty years. Everywhere I looked there were ghosts.

If I looked at a street corner I could see the younger versions of my friends and I goofing around and I could hear the echoes of thirty year old conversations about inane topics. Walking by house after house, memories of adventures came to life in my minds eye as if not a day had passed.

The most startling revelation however is that apparently since I grew up I’ve become a giant. The parents of my childhood friends are smaller and shorter than I remember them. As my friend and I walked the streets it was amazing how much the houses had shrunk and now look old and run down a bit.  The walk around the block which seemed so long as kids is now barely long enough to be considered much of a walk at all.

Street Sign

I know that all these things are illusions. People age and the neighborhood that was the whole world to us as kids suddenly appears small and old when I return to it from the larger world I’ve explored since I left home.

Damn it Mick Jagger, you promised that time was on my side. I blinked and suddenly that naïve, wide eyed boy from a small town turned into an adult with a mortgage and acid reflux.

I guess more appropriately, this weekend illustrated to me the truth in the title of that Thomas Wolfe novel; You Can’t Go Home Again. I tried and although my home and neighborhood are not what they once were, I enjoyed meeting with high school friends again who all seem to be better versions of the kids I knew. Here’s to old friends!

As always, if you like what you read at #ThePhilFactor please hit the Facebook share button, especially my high school friends that might be reading this. It was great to see you all again. And thank you to Cindy for all the pictures you’ve posted to Facebook. I’m sorry I couldn’t include pictures of everyone that was there. Have a great Thursday, and I’ll see you all tomorrow! ~Phil

Throwback Thursday! The Rolling Stones Are Liars: My Class Reunion

(07/27/13)  Of course this doesn’t apply to me and all my classmates who are attending our reunion this weekend.  The high school reunion. That American institution where we renew friendships, reminisce, and catch up. We remember who we were and we talk about who we’ve become. Last night I had a very nice time talking with many, many old friends.

Back to my title. The Rolling Stones are big fat liars. Mick, Keith, Ron and Charlie. Every one a liar. Pants on fire. The whole nine yards. What did they lie about? They lied about time. Time is SO not on our side. Judging from how haggard The Rolling Stones look, time isn’t on their side either. Especially Keith.

I know where you think I’m going with this, but you’re wrong. Yeah, sorry about that. I’m not going to bemoan how the years have changed my classmates and I. If anything, I was pleasantly surprised by how good everyone looked. My old friends are happy and healthy and doing well. At least the ones that attended our reunion.

reunion

In addition to attending reunion activities I also went back to the neighborhood of my childhood. I’ve only been there a few times in the last twenty years. Everywhere I looked there were ghosts. If I looked at a street corner I could see the younger versions of my friends and I goofing around and I could hear the echoes of thirty year old conversations about inane topics. Walking by house after house, memories of incidents and adventures came to life in my minds eye as if not a day had passed.

The most startling revelation however is that apparently since I grew up I’ve become a giant. The parents of my childhood friends are smaller and shorter than I remember them. As my friend and I walked the streets it was amazing how much the houses had shrunk and now look old and run down a bit.  The walk around the block which seemed so long  as kids is now barely long enough to be considered much of a walk at all.

Street Sign

I know that all these things are illusions. People age and the neighborhood that was a whole world to us as kids suddenly appears small and old when I return to it from the larger world I’ve explored since I left home. Damn it Mick Jagger, you promised that time was on my side. I blinked and suddenly that naive, wide eyed boy from a small town turned into an adult with a mortgage and acid reflux. I guess more appropriately, this weekend illustrated to me the truth in the title of that Thomas Wolfe novel; You Can’t Go Home Again. I tried and although my home and neighborhood are not what they once were, I’ve enjoyed meeting high school friends again who all seem to be better versions of the kids I knew. Here’s to old friends.

3Reunion

As always, if you like what you read at #ThePhilFactor please hit the Facebook share button, especially my high school friends that might be reading this. It was great to see you all again. And thank you to Cindy for all the pictures you’ve posted to Facebook. I’m sorry I couldn’t include pictures of everyone that was there. Have a great Thursday! ~Phil