This past week was the build up to about a year and half worth of planning for a special high school reunion. What made it so unique was the occasion. This was not one of those reunions that meet every 5 years, although we do…This was a follow up reunion from the 45th just 2 short years ago.
The majority of us turned 65 this year…with that in mind, I organized The Medicare Reunion. No, we did not have AARP, or the other insurance agencies representing…ah contraire, we just celebrated our lasting friendships; which for some of us have been more than 60 years.
We represent 10 Elementary Schools, 2 Junior Highs and 1terrific High School. This accounts for about 850 classmates that graduated in the winter and summer of 1967. Back in those days they staggered when you started kindergarten depending on your birth month.
Life was much different then. Don’t you remember your parents telling you that about their youth? I’m certain our kids are saying the same thing about theirs as well.
Can you imagine explaining to your parents when you were 10 that in the future you could drive in the car and talk on the phone at the same? Well, you’re not supposed to unless you have the technology that keeps you legal, but can always ask Siri to speak for you!
I have always studied people. In the early years of “on the job training,” it was just a matter of memorizing who “played” with who; who went “steady” with who, who were the surfers, the smart kids, the popular kids and all of the rest of us trying to figure out how to fit in etc.
It was a whole new world to be in an elementary school of class of 50 kids to entering my junior high of over 600 just in our winter and summer grades. Interestingly enough, as I was looking at these numbers and counting the faces…lots of kids must have moved and did not continue on to our high school. Private schools must have become more popular. People also moved because LAX (Los Angeles International Airport) was continuing to expand and that directly affected many homes in my community. Still does even to this date.
We have had a reunion every 5 years with the exception of our 35th. I started as a committee member of 16. As the years went forward that dwindled to its present group of one, which would be me. Believe it or not, a committee of one is very efficient. There are no communication snafus or issues regarding division of responsibilities.
Yes it’s a lot of work, but I enjoy it thoroughly and receive my greatest pleasures as I watch the day’s events unfold. Gone are the days of what fancy dress can I wear and instead it has been replaced by what’s the most comfortable.
Gone are any superficial pretence from years and years ago and now we just appreciate the joys of our youth and what it meant growing up in our small town within the very large city of Los Angeles.
It wasn’t always perfect. I was one of the lucky ones that grew up in a Leave It To Beaver home. Not everyone sailed through adolescence without a few scratches along the way; it’s what contributed to our Active Older Adult status which we embrace and celebrate today. We lost classmates to illness and the Vietnam War. Many have moved away. But that does not stop us from enjoying our past, embracing the present and looking towards the future.
We have our share of notables, Doctors, Writers, Lawyers, PhD’ers, that’s what you would expect in a large group of people. We also grew up in a turbulent time when air raids were part of our monthly community drill along with drop drills; remember this is an earthquake city.
For just an ordinary kid, with a love and curiosity about others, it couldn’t have been better weekend of fun. Remember I was Born To Talk! I’ve got that perfected!!
So here I sit, watching the flood of Facebook comments of a successful event, relishing my part in making this a happy time for many people.
The Turtles were a very popular group from my Westchester High School.
One of their very successful songs was played as we turned out the lights…
Happy Together!!
Yes we were.
