Feelings and Thoughts

I didn’t feel a strong attachment to most of the people at my recent reunion. It’s been too long since they were part of my life. It was interesting to have those old memories stirred up and see where all those then 20-something guys ended up. I know very little of what happened to my high school friends. In my mind they are all teenagers. This reunion closed the loop on my college friends. We all have had most of our careers completed. Most were still the same person I knew back then—just fatter and mellowed some by time and experience. It was surprising that the guy who was the biggest in college was actually skinnier now.

One guy came up to me the first day and said, “Do you know who I am?” I didn’t know until he smiled. His smile was exactly like it was when he was 20 years old.

I was pleasantly surprised to see the marriages that worked even though they wed while in school. There were those relationships that didn’t make it but we never found out what went wrong. Of course, some that were in their 2nd or 3rd marriage were not surprising.

Something that did surprise me was my reaction when I opened the sliding door of our 9th-floor hotel room to look out over the Atlantic Ocean. Seeing that beach was like meeting an old friend. This was the beach that convinced me to try to live near the ocean wherever I ended up. It was where I learned about sand spurs, jellyfish that sting, sand fleas, body surfing and responsibility. I spent too much time here during my freshman year. My grades took a huge hit and put me in a grade point average hole that I had to struggle to recover from over the next 3 years. That first year I spent so much time there that my hair bleached blonde at the tips and my tan lasted year-round. I’m paying for that now with the wrinkles on my face.

.......................... Sunrise viewed from our room

Penny and I were reminded by my brothers that we were “the cutest little couple on campus”. We were little, too. I weighed in at 126 and Penny was barely over 100 pounds. One place where I did feel strong emotions was when for old times sake I parked at the beach like we used to, hung my glasses on the rear view mirror, like I used to, and leaned over and kissed Penny—not quite like I used to--but it was still emotional enough for me to tear up.

Sometimes when you return to an area, you feel nostalgic seeing the place. It wasn’t like this in Melbourne or at FIT itself. Everything has changed to the point where it was barely recognizable. Except for a few areas on campus if you blindfolded me and set me anywhere I wouldn’t recognize I was in Melbourne when the blindfold was removed. I felt no attachment to anything in the area except the beach.

.............Yes, there was a parade

As I’d already mentioned in my last blog saying good-bye was tough for me, too. It wasn’t because I had a strong bond with anyone there. These people were important to me years ago and the short time we were together was sufficient for us to realize how special our relationship was. It is an amazing assortment of good people. Since the group is literally scattered across the country and getting old we don’t know if or when we will ever gather again.

This reunion had none of the anxiety attached to it as TV and movies portray—probably because we’ve outgrown that pettiness and are just thankful we are alive and kicking. I didn’t go there with any deep emotional drive or any real expectations. I went because I promised I would. I’m glad I did. It really was a great weekend. If they try for another one in a few years and I’m able, I will not have to be coaxed into going.