Some Things Never Change, and Thank Goodness Others Do: 3 Realizations from High School Reunions

The past two weekends have been filled with nostalgia and reminiscing at my High School Reunion events and I must say it was an adventure learning about each other again. There are so many things that don't matter as kids that make up who you are now. New things you have in common and new things that grow you apart from each other. The variations were amazing to see. Some people turn out exactly as you expect and others went in a completely opposite direction. By only having two data points (with occasional impersonal facebook posts in between) 10-years apart, what can we learn from each other at these snapshots?

1. Your Comfort Zone
• I was amazed how many people return to their home town. They leave for a variety of reasons but the place you know best and feel most in control might just always be the place you grew up. I'm not one of those people, but I think it tells you about how fast people adapt to change. How fast can you trust new relationships and build new daily routines? But even if your zip code stays the same, people can stretch themselves in different ways.
2. Comfortable with Your Status
• My limited experience with these reunions is that they are in large part about measuring up and showing how well you doing. You have to be confident in yourself almost to a fault to feel "good enough" and show your face to old peers. The status quo may have changed but new opinions, stereotypes, and egos form very quickly. Are they even still your peers? Some people have taken such different paths to happiness you can't fairly judge.
3. Your Own Comfortable Shoes
• Hey, there is always the 20-year reunion, right? A lot of life happens in-between so even if you were jealous, impressed, deflated, or proud you now have another 10 years to make changes. It gives you a chance to look at yourself and your dreams and get re-energized. I mean, you did just face your high school friends so you can take on any thing now! So don't put yourself if their shoes; put on your own and go on another adventure!

Okay? The honest part? I didn't go. I didn't go to the planned events and instead did a Girl Scout Troop reunion. Even doing what I love with the smaller group, I still felt like I got a full dose of all of this. What happened at your high school reunion?