I am a member of a mailing list, Mennolink, and have been for many years. Members of this list I consider friends, though I have never actually met any of them. Most of these listers are some of the most down-to-earth people I know, they'll tell you like it is. Anyway, one of my friends, Audrey Metz, wrote about her upcoming 50th class reunion. She had never been to a reunion, hadn't really intended to attend ANY reunion. But, she decided to go to this one. She wrote us a very nice long email concerning all this and her thoughts after the fact, but the part that really struck me was her conclusion. I have asked and received permission to share this on my blog.
"I have concluded that reunions are - yes, a fun time of reconnecting - but much more important, they are a way of coming together for healing, for changing memories. Because that's one of the things that happens: with all the laughter and hugs and memories shared, the common thread was a camaraderie that bound us together, reminding us that we are HERE NOW in a way that is different from before. We are here because we care enough about each other to show up. We are here because our lives were bound together way back when, whether we all liked and accepted each other then or not. And it has turned out OK! In fact, it has turned out really beautiful. We have replaced old memories with new ones that put everything else into perspective. And that perspective includes forgiveness - of each other and of ourselves."
Thank you, Audrey.
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2 comments:
WOW! That's very inspiring. I haven't and probly wont go to any of my reunions. I hated those people but for a very few. They made life very very hard to deal with at times. I don't think I would get any healing... less I could punch a few in the face.
I've heard much the same thing from some other people, that they hated the people they went to High School with. But then they attended 10 or 20 year reunions and these same people treated them like they had been friends all along. You see, people have a tendency to grow up, most of them anyway. So don't totally write it off, maybe in 40 years....
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