Guess what I did on Thursday? I attended a Zoom high school reunion. I graduated from high school 37 years years ago. What. The. F.

COVID has some unintended positive consequences, I suppose. We are all in our mid-50s now, that certain demographic. We have been faced lately with our mortality. We know of people we went to school with who have passed. We have kids in our 20s. Some of us are talking retirement – or already retired and getting bored. We are middle -aged. Yeah, I said it. It feels weird – in my head I feel 18 (and that’s super-weird because I have a 20 year old) … but as my old friend said she does too, until she’s been sitting too long and it aches to move.

We were on the call for almost 2 hours. Each of us had our stories, trying to cram almost 40 years into a 5 minute sound byte. After high school – college/university? Work? Marriage? Re-Marriage? Kids? Kids getting married? No grand babies yet, but grand fur babies. Some of us were late starters who still have teenagers – or younger (there goes freedom 55!) Some of us working and not thinking about retirement because honestly – we are still young.

The gossip – oh the gossip. Does anyone still keep in touch with so and so? Who’s where with whom now? I started it off right off the bat with full disclosure. I did not marry the guy I was attached to at the hip for my last three years in high school. That got a laugh – elephant in the room. Some of these guys are still friends with that fellow. One of them texted him during our call to say that we all said “Hi” including me. Funny, not awkward. It happens. I’m always surprised when I hear of couples who last after being high school sweethearts.

I have good memories of high school. And from our conversation, it appears that I was not alone. We had great friends, really wonderful teachers who were committed to us as students and there was a real sense of community. Everyone’s done pretty well – there wasn’t enough time to get into all the serious stuff which I know we have all been through. But it was a happy call. My cheeks were aching from all the smiling and laughter. It was fun.

We didn’t fit into all the typical high school roles that Hollywood often depicts. We all seemed to socialize across the various “tribes”. But we acknowledged that we were lucky. We would talk to each other on Monday.