Fifty-seven years-old…yikes, when did that happen? Of course, that can only mean one thing (and yup, I know, I’m old); it’s been forty years since I was a senior in high school. It’s also been forty years since my classmates were seniors in high school, and again, that can only mean one thing: reunion time.

Four ladies and I have been planning a summer get-together; working hard to set a date, secure a venue, select food options, etc. Probably the most challenging thing to cross off the list is finding everyone. Facebook and Messenger have proved extremely helpful, with just a handful left to find. Honestly, searching and exhausting all avenues to find people has been, dare I say, fun. And the reason I say that is…I have been in contact with so many people via social media.

Without a doubt, we all had our really good friends in high school; those we participated in activities with and those we kept friendships with from grade school. It’s natural to gravitate to certain people; I had my so-called clique, many of whom I’ve stayed in contact with to this day. But during the search, not only did I enjoy messaging with some of those old friends, but I have appreciated even the briefest interactions with those I really didn’t know that well.

I believe it’s been twenty years since our last reunion, so time has truly slipped away. Recently, the ladies and I met for dinner at the venue we’ve chosen for the reunion. I haven’t seen two of them in many years, but we reconnected instantly, and it felt like we were back in high school again. If not for the pesky wrinkles and hot flash stories, anyone would think we’d never skipped a beat in our relationships. We laughed, shared life events (especially proud to talk about our children) and felt at ease and comfortable with one another. The time went by too fast!

I’m looking forward to the reunion, and so happy to be involved in the planning process because that means I get to be in contact with everyone prior to the event. Even if some can’t attend, it’s been really special to talk with them, however brief, to collect contact information. I guess high school friends are friends for life, whether twenty or forty years has gone by.

Those teenage years were crazy, trying, confusing, and fun, but there’s one undeniable fact that also rings true: those years were about all of us, the seventy-seven kids attending a small regional high school who were getting through it all together. Whether we were tight with everyone or not, we still share a special bond that cannot be replicated during any other time in our lives. It’s pretty cool!