So, why a high school reunion?  Why now?  Why after 35 years are most of us excited about the prospect of traveling, in some cases, many miles to spend a few hours together with people we may not have even talked to while in school?  Why does this seem so important to us now?

 

The truth is, I always wondered why our class never had a full blown-out reunion after all these years.  I saw other classes meeting at the Rye-Harrison game, or Kelly's in Rye.  I read accounts of these reunions on Classmates and elsewhere, and saw photos posted of people genuinely enjoying the time and each other's company.  I then became a bit jealous, to be honest.  Part of me thought I may just have missed a reunion along the way, since I was fairly invisible in school, and even some friends had no idea of my whereabouts over the past 35 years.  For all I knew, you guys could have been partying every 10 years or so.

 

But you weren't for the most part.  Actually, I recently learned there was a 10 year reunion, but I missed that one.  Not sure how many of you attended.  That was a good start, for sure, but the momentum died.  As often happens in life, we all get caught up in our individual pursuits.  Our marriages, our careers, our kids, our homes.  Growing up and branching out.  Leaving the nest and exploring the world.  It's natural...it's expected.  It's the right thing to do. 

 

However, even as we all scatter across different states and countries, after a number of years many of us look forward to returning "home".  Perhaps it takes 20 or 30 years to appreciate our roots and where we started our journies.  Maybe the scenes, smells, and images don't come floating back into our minds for decades...but eventually they do.  The smell of burning leaves in the fall, the pounding of the bass drum at the football game, the Little League parades down Purchase Street, Halloween window painting, Playland's train whistle, the cooling Long Island sound breeze, proms, dances, triumphs, and victories.  Maybe we are reminded of when and how we dealt with the school bully...picked out our prom dress or tuxedo...took endless music lessons...played little league games, etc. as we continue these traditions with our own children.  Whatever the catalyst, the memories eventually come flooding back.

 

The fact is, as different as we all are in our pursuits, interests, and goals, we are all linked.  We shared 4 years together, albeit in our own little groups and cliques...such is high school.  But when I look at the names on the alumni list, or your faces in the yearbook , I don't see walls or lines.  I see people that I miss...people that I wish I had taken the time to know better.  People I probably judged incorrectly, or did not get to know for the wrong reasons.  I see lost opportunities due to teenage and high school insecurities. 

 

I believe it is time.  Time to reunite one last time.  Time to meet and greet those who we have not spoken with in years, or maybe have never spoken with at all.  Time to share our stories and successes...our heartbreaks and struggles.  Even while in school, I don't think there was ever an occasion that brought as many of us together at the same time as this reunion will.  Yes, graduation day for sure, but we were all so anxious to just get it over with and leave.  Now, many of us are anxious to re-enter the "school" one more time to reconnect.  My gut tells me this is it...there won't be a 40th or 50th reunion.  I could be wrong, but I suspect this is our one chance to say our hellos, and our goodbyes, to those who we will be forever linked.

 

One thing I am happy about is that even the effort alone to bring this together has already reunited many of you through email.  It has given us a chance to once again "talk" with each other and re-establish relationships that we may have thought were gone forever.  For that reason alone, this has already been a success.  I can't tell you how nice it is to communicate with you all through email, and a few of you on the phone.  It's a good feeling to connect with you and learn more about who you are as a person, and hearing your excitement about linking up with others as well.

 

As I get older, I appreciate my youth more and more.  The runway ahead is much shorter than the runway behind now.  I've learned to appreciate each day.  Tomorrow is promised to no one.  I look forward to our journey home together in October.  You've already made it special by agreeing to participate.  It will be a wonderful night for all of us, and I will see you soon...friend.

 

Chris