Stepping back in time.

“My friends from high school

Married their high school boyfriends

Moved into houses in the same ZIP codes

Where their parents live.”

When I was at my high school reunion a number of years ago, I once again stepped back and took a look around at how many of my classmates not only live in the area where we grew up, but married those who they dated while in school. I was not sure whether to be impressed or surprised.

Having now lived more than half my life in Chicago, and very infrequently travelling back to St. Louis, I am disconnected from the neighborhood and people who I knew so many years ago.

One of the ways I have “stayed in touch,” and somewhat on a distant basis, is through Facebook. There are a few high school friends who I have “friended” but most of the people are individuals I have met in my post high school years. As I see it, I had little in common with many of the class of ’76 then, how am I going to now be an important part of their lives?

But that’s not the way it is for everyone. There is one person who is on Facebook that I knew in high school but not all that well. We were in what would be called, “different social classes.” In other words, she was very social and I had little class. But now, at least in some ways, we have leveled the playing field and talk for a moment or two on Facebook. I look at this as a form of closure and also an opening to the years of confusion when I was really not sure who I was, what I was going to do, and where I would end up. Funny, I am still there in many respects.

Yesterday I spoke with a fraternity brother of mine who recently moved to Kansas City. When I speak with him, for me it’s like a time machine. I travel back and we re-start the conversation from the last time we spoke. It’s that kind of friendship---one I value and trust. We didn’t grow up in the same neighborhood, or know on another before college, but he married someone I knew from high school. Funny how things work out, isn’t it?

The photo above is of my daughter Audrey last fall. Lying in a patch of grass, with only her head emerged, she symbolizes life in some ways---you have to lift up, take a look around and determine what’s out there to consider for the rest of your life.

Thanks for stopping by.