Conversations with my 13 year old self

Last October I found myself at my 20 yr high school reunion.  An event I almost didn’t attend because I wasn’t sure if I wanted to go back there.  Surprisingly, I had a really nice time, and I have reconnected with some old friends, and for that alone it is well worth it.  However, it was also fun to see how people have changed, grown, matured.  At the reunion itself many of the old cliques were still present, but mostly everyone was friendly.

So, a few weeks ago when I got an invitation for a girls reunion with some of my old classmates, I decided to give it a try.  So, there gathered at a bar/ restaurant in Pasadena was a group of 8 women.   Several of whom I had known since age 5 when we started San Marino schools, most I’d known since Jr High.  Some I was friends with, some not so much.  It was a gathering of people that would never of happened in high school, that much I am sure of, but it was fun.

As I sat around the table and listened to everyone talk about the reunion, their lives and some of our experiences.  Over half of those gathered had reasons why they had almost not gone to the reunion, or gone out that night. Yet there we all were laughing together.   I thought of Pink’s song, "Conversations with my 13 year old self.” I questioned, what I would tell my 13 year old self, if I could go back in time.  Pink says “You’re laughing, but you’re hiding. I know the trick too well…Don’t worry, everything will work out fine.”  That’s a nice message, but I’m sure that 13 year old me would have said “yeah, yeah what do you know.” Adolescents always think they know everything. Still it is true, we do all grow up.

So, I am grateful that I have reconnected with some of the people I grew up with. I hope that we stay reconnected and can call each other friends.