Half of a Century

This last weekend, I went to my 50th high school reunion. To say the least, it was a mixture of fun and sadness. It was fun to see all these senior citizens who looked vaguely familiar but who sounded just like they did 50 years ago. Everyone had changed, and some had done this more than others.

Our class had 183 members. Less than 50% attended the reunion with spouses or alone. From what I hear, our attendance was pretty good. 26 members of the class have died ( 14% ). That is better than expected. Those that have died were definitely present with us and likely were remembered by all. None of us were unaware of the fact that it was only a matter of time until we joined their club.

One thing was clear. There is an "Olive Oil" Syndrome. This is what a friend of mine calls it when a skinny and plain girl in high school grows into an attractive older woman. I saw several examples, while the reverse was also true too.

There were parties and grand opportunities to visit, tell stories, and share experiences. We had gained families, work history, and life knowledge. Someone will the last one left of our group. I hope they remember to turn off the lights when they leave.