A Blast From My Past

I sat in the parking lot for a while,
eyes closed, remembering . . .
 football games, fire drills, the spaces
that used to exist
 where buildings now sit.

I wondered if there was any trace of me,
of us, the class of '88
 there.

The building, still squat and square,
still concrete grey
with a splash of color across the top,
sat as it always had.
Patiently allowing thousands of students
to walk in and out of its halls
over time.

             I climbed the steep stairs,
            recalling (years ago,)
           my friends,
          and enemies,
         the boys I loved,
        the joyful voices,
       laughter,
      music of the 80's,
     polo shirts with the collars up,
    topsiders without socks,
   ridiculous nicknames,
  hopeful dreams,
 youthful skin,
spiky hair.

I remembered. I paused. I sighed.
  I continued to climb.

Copyright 2012 Corrina L. Terry
Photo: Courtesy of Chaparral High School

I attended a training at my former high school this morning. It was bittersweet. The school was cleaner and happier looking than I had seen it in years (thanks to a new principal), but my memories tugged me backward.

I miss my easy friendships of those days. They were some of the most wonderful people! I miss having my entire life in front of me, not knowing the disappointments, deaths, and sorrows yet. I miss being free from the debts and responsibilities of adulthood.

But then I watched a boy come in late, baseball hat in hand, head bowed, asking for a pass to class (he was tardy), and I thought, "Phewy! I'm glad to be my age! I'm glad to know what I'm good at and what I'm not."

I love, love, love my hubby and sons. Life without them would be so lonely and boring! I love having some responsibility and living up to it----it's like a good run---stretches your legs, gives you a bounce in your step, yet keeps ya winded.

I do miss my younger, youthful, wrinkle-free skin though. ;o)