Hello, darlings! Today’s Guest Contributor is the lovely and talented Mitzi Beach. Mitzi wrote an article for us all about downsizing your home a few months ago. Now she’s back with some sage advice about attending your future class reunions. Enjoy!
To Attend Or Not To Attend, That Is the Question!
This past summer, I attended my 55th class reunion in Salem, Ohio. Yes, I know, you can do the math; we all were 73 at this gathering. But oh, what a gathering it was!
Now, I realize that many of you may still carry around the wounds, betrayals, resentments, perhaps even scars from being bullied during your high school years. The odds are few had a perfectly wonderful high school experience.
And yet, I ask you, are you missing out by skipping your class reunions? Have you been fabricating convenient excuses about avoiding these get-togethers with self-talk including, Why would I ever want to be back with those people ever again?
Well, my dear readers, here is why you should reconsider attending your next reunion.
Everyone Changes
Yes, everyone changes, not only in their looks but also with acquired people skills and hopefully a stronger sense of maturity. You would have a hard time convincing me that you are that same person that you were in high school. I know that I certainly am not!
To miss out on observing and benefitting from your high school classmates as they are now is sadly your loss. Who knows? You could establish an exciting new relationship with a classmate like so many others have, as witnessed on Facebook given the numerous high school connections.
You Share a Precious Personal History
No one understands what it was like during your high school years quite like you do. Some of the best times at these reunions stem from sharing these crazy stories, teachers’ influence or an instructor’s “unusual” style.
In addition, sharing the highs and lows with those that knew you then can become a catalyst to understanding why you made the choices you did then. The candor gives you the opportunity to forgive yourself and hopefully others too.
You Deserve to Open Yourself up to Have Some Fun
Here’s a quote from one of my special long-time friends regarding our recent reunion:
“If only for a few short hours they make you feel young again, remembering all the music and dance steps. You and I did the jitterbug just like we were in high school again. I loved it!! Never mind that I had an awful back spasm when I sat down. I’d do it all over again. Love, love, love our reunions.”
Gain a Whole New Perspective
You could gain a whole new perspective on not only your high school years but also on your life. As I reflected on our past reunion, I gained a fresh appreciation for how swiftly my years were speeding past me. Why I would not want to grab hold and cherish as many personal experiences as I possibly could by connecting with my high school peers?
However, as I close out this post, a profound thought needs to be shared with you all. I believe that we each have a unique purpose for being alive at this very time to make the world a better place even if it is only reaching out to one seemingly-lonely, forgotten person. What if you were meant to be that person to enrich one of your classmates’ self-esteem as a result of your brief attention by attending your next reunion?
One of my favorite chapters in my book is on togetherness where I state, “It’s not all about me.” Until I had the opportunity to write this post, I had not connected that this is indeed enough of a reason to attend class reunions.
In the end, it is not about any of us individually, but what and how we make a difference for others.
Will you attend your next reunion? Join the conversation in the comments below or on Facebook and Instagram.
Mitzi Beach A.S.I.D. C.A.P.S. is an award-winning Interior Designer, Author, and 50+ Demographic Marketing & LifestyleSpecialist. She’s the author of the brand new book “Design Smarts, Inspiration for Home + Life.” Mitzi, armed with 30 years of experience and a masters degree in interior design, is one of the Design Hounds Top 100 influencers 2018, selected as a member of the prestigious Style Spotters High Point market in North Carolina, as well as High Point Market Design Bloggers Tour, quoted in The Wall Street Journal as an expert in the emerging Aging in Place (AIP) trend. Along with designers across America, her home is featured in the 2018 “Christmas By Design” book.
If you enjoyed this story, please subscribe to my email list. Once a day, when I post a new story, you will receive it in your inbox, SUBSCRIBE HERE!
Yes, I hated high school and got through it only by plotting my escape from Ohio. I attended my 30th, frankly, to show off that I’d made it. So much changes over time. I find myself thinking of those growing up years more than I ever expected. There’s a 60th reunion coming. I wasn’t sure if I should go, but this piece gives me much to think about. Thank you!
I loved your story, Mitzi. Our pasts are a part of our present though we often don’t think about it. Each summer I drive to Kankakee by the Sea, the town I grew up in ( I gave it that name to romanticize it!) to have lunch with about 20 more or less of my classmates. I look forward to catching up and learning about their lives. I think I was an Interior Designer and a French woman in my past life. Would love to write a story for you. Warmly, Honey
There is a field called Positive Psychology. I learned about it from one of my contributors. As a laywoman I practice it though until I learned that it was a field I had no idea I was. This is my theory about life. Growing up in a minority was not easy for me. I felt set apart. For years when I thought about growing up in my town I nicknamed Kankakee by the Sea ( it is really in the middle of a corn field on a not so beautiful river) I had hard feelings but after writing for five years, one day it dawned on me that it was a positive experience because I am a woman who has empathy for others and a resilience that is bodes me well. What positives did you take out of your high school years? Warmly, Honey
What a revealing comment Susan! I had no idea that you did not grow up in a sophisticated city like your Chicago or etc. Or that being in a minority affected your outlook on life. As I thought of your comment, I realized that feeling misunderstood, isolated, or are experiencing prejudicial blocks due to aging is often what women after 50 experience . You have super sizied your positive outlook on life Susan! it has taken me however, a long time to commit to speaking, thinking, and feeling positive since this is the direction my life will take as I consciously make a decision to constantly live this way. Not always am I successful but most of the time I am loving life more and more every year.
Hello Michelle and thank you for comenting! So sorry to be so far behind though in responding with your very thoughtful take on your class reunions. I can only tell you that there are tons who think just like you do but in the end, showing up with a confident smile can reap many unexpected rewards. xo Mitzi
Wow, Mitzi … this post really got me thinking! I’m one of those people who has sworn off high school reunions (attended my 10th, but that’s it so far). Yet you definitely give some good reasons for me to reconsider my boycott, especially the idea that it could make a surprising difference in even one person’s life. Glad you shared this!
And I am so very glad that you commented Lauren! You are a wise women to be open minded enoigh to consider how you could really neutralize a classmate’s reunion perspective by being the one that makes a difference for them. xoxo Mitzi
Great post. I have never attended a reunion, partly because I live in Alaska and my reunions are in Mass. Long way!! I love your thought about how going could benefit someone else. I will think about attending when the next reunion comes around:)
So sorry for being so terribly behind Mary Ann but please know that I really appreciate your response on your considering to attend your next reunion. I hope that you do ar,ed with a fresh perspective!
xoxo mitzi
I really enjoyed this post , Mitzi. I never have wanted to attend any of my high school reunions. Few of the memories associated with those years are happy ones for me, but reading this post gave me a new perspective on it.
Thanks for writing with such wisdom.
Thank you Leslie for commenting and please forgive my extremely late response! You are in the company of tons of accomplished and wise women like yourself whose high school years were not their best years. As I attend all of mine, it has been such an unexpected but delightful connection to re-acquaint myself with former classmates that I did not know very well way back then. And very often they are the ones following “my stuff” on social media versus some of my close high school friends. I have learned to never say never…:) xoxo Mitzi
Great post Mitzi. I haven’t been back to a formal reunion since I graduated, but I do get together with a large group of school friends whenever I travel home. Some classmates that come are not ones that I generally spent much time with in school. Funny, we didn’t really connect in school but as mature adults we do and like you said have that past that forever binds us. I may consider going to the next one now:)
Xx Melanie
Awesome Melanie and thank you for giving us your view point on getting together with your classmates when you travel back home. You certainly are the richer and wiser one to make this effort which it certainly is an effort to do so. Your classmates would be blessed to have you at their next reunion! xoxo Mitzi
How fun, Mitzi! What a cool car to pose with too. Looking forward to seeing you soon!
thanks Carla! My friend Sue’s husband is very proud of his car that he says doesn’t even go out in the rain…love it how some guys actually baby their cars. I’m lucky ti get Bob to wash mine…:)
And you know that I LOVED seeing you! xoxo Mitzi
I am one of those guilty of avoiding HS reunions, but this does put a fresh perspective on it. The few I have attended, I have been able to catch up with some of the friends with whom I had lost touch.
Knowing how sharp you are Janet, surely you would be over the top received at your renions having so much to share with so many that have no idea of all that you are accomplishing. I hope that you go to your next one! xoxo Mitzi