Reflection
With my middle exchange daughter now on her way to the wild frontier of adulthood, it allows me a moment to reflect on my journey through adulthood (at this time). When reflecting, it's sometimes great to look at a picture that encapsulates the memory of high school or college and allows the emotions to wash through. I honestly haven't thought too much about high school unless reunions are about or an exchange kiddo is in our house..... which while writing this means it does come up more often than I give it credit for. ANYWAY, whose blog is this? So going through my high school yearbooks and pictures last night and the only picture that (mostly) reflects my HS class is this one
What a wild day in the mid-'90s. When I look at this picture and reflect, it strikes me that at the time of this picture, all these people were looking up at a photographer, with no idea that the people looking back at them would be almost 30 years after this picture was taken. At the time, the thoughts of being with your friends, who was going out with whom, who broke up with whom, which teacher was giving an exam that day, how were you going to explain a grade to your parents, and what that afternoon would look like. Maybe a show to watch on the TV, watching the nightly news with your parents (Tom Brokaw was da man), or staying over at your friend's house, or your partner's house if the parents weren't around. Who knows. If anyone had an idea of the future, some were eyeing college with hope and a dream. Others were ready to make a living and be on their own for the first time. And even a few already made up their minds and signed up to join the military. The future was out there. Waiting to be explored. It was a fountain that everyone wanted to drink from.
I look at this picture in a general sense. Not at each individual in the picture, but the whole (except for Mr.Patrious head in the back as he was retiring at the end of the year). Eye'ing the breath of fashion everyone is wearing. a hodge podge if you will. The hairstyles. the darkness of the clothes as I wonder if this was taken in the fall. ....... We looked pretty normal, even by today's standards.
That is what having kids allows you to feel once more. Watching them have an eye on the future. the unknown, and wondering to yourself and hope their future is bright. What will 30 years in the future be like when they stare at their class picture?