Fifty Years!

Fifty years - 600 months, 2,607 weeks plus one day. I could go into days, hours, minutes and seconds but I think you get  the point. Lots of time.

The year of 2016 marks 50 years since I graduated from high school. It really doesn't seem possible. I still "feel" the energy of my school years. The fun, the excitement of a win at football, the winning basketball team, walking down the halls of DHS to an exam, the angst common in teenage years and so much more.

Earlier this year a group of the DHS Class of 1966 began to meet to plan the best reunion ever. At first, I wondered why in the world did I want to get involved. I'm already busy. I've been in planning sessions before and they ain't fun. A couple of people end up doing everything with others just offering criticism. But...

This is not what happened. We started meeting and these planning sessions became fun. We did the work. Goodness we even had an agenda and took notes. We made plans, set deadlines, and assigned projects. We also reconnected. It was almost like no time had gone by. Sure we are all a little bit more mature with our bodies showing symptoms of the fact that 50 years have passed. Some of us are a bit grayer, balder or have added a few pounds, but...

At heart, we remain the same. Kids who like to laugh and relive those glory days of high school. Forgotten are those times we didn't understand geometry. Forgotten are those days we felt inferior or self conscious. We remember the fun, the classmates, the teachers. Our reunion is still in the planning stages with two more meetings before the actual party. If our DHS Class of 1966 Reunion is half as much fun as the meetings have been, we will have succeeded in having the best reunion ever.

What does this experience tell me?  Remember the good times, the fun, the joy in living. Remember to laugh more, complain less. We tend to focus so much on the negative that we forget about all that is good. And I don't care what the media says, there is a lot of good in this world. Make the naysayers crazy with your laughter and positive attitude.

Maybe communities could have planning sessions that look for the good. Maybe their agendas could include the following:

Give hugs. 

Forgive. 

Show gratitude. 

As has been said before, be the change you wish to see in the world. 

And last but not least, LAUGH! Laugh till you cry! Big, bold, belly laughs. 

Staying with the subject of high school, maybe this can jumpstart the laughter. 

Peace and blessings,

Mareda