Long Time, No See. 11-21-11

I can't say that high school was an ideal time. Everyone goes through their share of transitions and struggles for independence. I think many people look back on high school with a mix of emotions. And for me, there were so many difficult things that happened--my 1st surgery from undiagnosed arthritis along with a few other miserable health problems I couldn't talk too much about, and of course, the loss of my father, the challenges we had coping as a family, the pressure on myself to do well in classes, amongst other things. Maybe I'm stronger because of it? Me, always looking for meaning in mild chaos. And so, it was with much uncertainty that I approached my high school reunion.
Since reconnecting on Facebook, I had seen my friends A and M, and I knew that they were going to be there. I looked forward to seeing them and knew I would be comfortable there. I knew of a few others, too, and I was looking forward to seeing them and chatting with them outside of Facebook. But, I guess I wasn't prepared for the reception I received. Everyone was so nice and solicitous about my little Boop. And they actually asked specifically about "Boop"; some mentioning that they read this little blog--kind of a shocker :) <Mom, there really are more people that read this blog than the 2 of us!> It was a happy time, and I really enjoyed seeing that my friends have seemed to have hit their stride, meeting spouses, learning about the plot twists that had happened over all of these years. In that vein, I was really happy to see my friend S and her husband. I knew things weren't going well for her during high school and that she was having health issues, but she told me what had really been going on. I wish I could have been a better friend to her, providing tangible support during that time, but I guess I had a fair amount on my plate, too. That's the past. Today, we can appreciate the people that we are, and I can be happy for the person she's made of herself, just as I am proud of my other friends who have settled in and found their proper path.