Coffee Table Declarations
Friday, June 06, 2003
Today I kept an appointment I made ten years ago. During my senior year in high school, my journalism teacher announced that he wanted to try something special that he did with his classes every year. He extended to us an invitation to meet him on the tenth anniversary of our high school graduation in front of the Town Hall at 3pm. He then handed out a questionnaire for us to fill out regarding our lives at the time, and where we expected to be in ten years. He collected the papers, promising to return them to us at our future meeting.
I was fascinated by the idea. 2003 seemed like such a long way off but the teacher assured us that past meetings with former students had proven successful. Through the years we received no reminders and I didn't write the date down, but I never forgot.
As the date approached I was feeling apprehensive. High school was something I had left behind long ago. Suddenly I felt all of my long forgotten teenage angst and insecurity come flooding back. It's funny how memories of high school can pull you right back to a time when you were unsure of yourself, inexperienced at life, and confused about who you would become.
Upon reflection I also realized that, though barely aware of it at the time, to be on the cusp of high school graduation is to be so full of possibility. I could have chosen any path or done a thousand things differently. If I could turn back the clock ten years, I could erase all of my mistakes and regrets and have a blank slate on which I could write anything. I was suddenly filled with insecurity over wrong choices and missed opportunity.
Therefore it was with mixed feelings that I arrived today at 3pm in front of the Town Hall. I saw my teacher instantly and approached him. He paused a moment and then said my name. I was surprised he recognized me and even more suprised when not a single one of my classmates showed up. Apparently everyone else had forgotten.
My teacher and I went for coffee and had a lovely time chatting and catching up. Instead of being disappointed at such a low turn out, he was thrilled that I was there. I actually felt really special and I'm glad I went. It was amusing to read the questionnaire I had filled out, especially the part about how I couldn't wait to finally turn 18. My teacher wanted to hear all about my life over the last ten years. In telling my story I realized that I am no longer the quiet, insecure kid who once sat in his journalism class. Somehow over the last ten years, without noticing, I have settled comfortably into being myself. For better or worse, all of my choices and experiences have led me to become who I am. And that was a nice thing to learn.
I was fascinated by the idea. 2003 seemed like such a long way off but the teacher assured us that past meetings with former students had proven successful. Through the years we received no reminders and I didn't write the date down, but I never forgot.
As the date approached I was feeling apprehensive. High school was something I had left behind long ago. Suddenly I felt all of my long forgotten teenage angst and insecurity come flooding back. It's funny how memories of high school can pull you right back to a time when you were unsure of yourself, inexperienced at life, and confused about who you would become.
Upon reflection I also realized that, though barely aware of it at the time, to be on the cusp of high school graduation is to be so full of possibility. I could have chosen any path or done a thousand things differently. If I could turn back the clock ten years, I could erase all of my mistakes and regrets and have a blank slate on which I could write anything. I was suddenly filled with insecurity over wrong choices and missed opportunity.
Therefore it was with mixed feelings that I arrived today at 3pm in front of the Town Hall. I saw my teacher instantly and approached him. He paused a moment and then said my name. I was surprised he recognized me and even more suprised when not a single one of my classmates showed up. Apparently everyone else had forgotten.
My teacher and I went for coffee and had a lovely time chatting and catching up. Instead of being disappointed at such a low turn out, he was thrilled that I was there. I actually felt really special and I'm glad I went. It was amusing to read the questionnaire I had filled out, especially the part about how I couldn't wait to finally turn 18. My teacher wanted to hear all about my life over the last ten years. In telling my story I realized that I am no longer the quiet, insecure kid who once sat in his journalism class. Somehow over the last ten years, without noticing, I have settled comfortably into being myself. For better or worse, all of my choices and experiences have led me to become who I am. And that was a nice thing to learn.
