Then, last night was my 30th high school graduation party. It was nice to see friends from back in the day and catch up. The party was outdoors in Gloucester, right on the harbor. Beautiful choice. It was about 900 degrees under the tent with everyone mingling at their very best. One of my best friends from high school was there, and it was great to reconnect. In high school I had a fun group of friends with very varied interests, and unfortunately she was the only one who came. After a while it felt like we were all back in the halls of old RMHS. No orange lockers, no cafe with the Clash playing, but still had the vibe. Instead there were lots of hugs and hellos that crossed clique boundaries, lots of nervous women wondering whether they looked good enough, and a lot of confident men who wouldn't even think about the quality of their appearance. Funny how the genders differ.
Nostalgia is a funny thing. Our memories from childhood and the teenage years stay with us and even define who our adult selves become. While many actual memories are long forgotten, the internal "knowing" of familiar faces is hardwired. These are the people who literally made us what we are, be it through support and kindness, or reaction to hostility. Our first extended family.
Saw a few classmates who are parents of students I teach, and funny enough, the young people buzzing around with light appetizers were my former students. Overall the night went better than I thought it might, so I am relieved. I am most happy that I dodged the camera all evening so do not have regrettable photos this morning on Facebook!
Looking forward to a day of catching up and reorganizing furniture, hopefully with a bit of fun thrown in, too. Back to art posts tomorrow!
What will you make today?