AVOIDANCE

The definition of avoidance is: deliberately avoiding; keeping away from or preventing from happening

I had my 40th high school reunion a couple of saturdays ago....

and I so wish I could do it over....

In HS I was really shy....and having just turned 58..... over the years I have learned to push that shy person away and force myself to be outgoing....talkative.

but on certain occasions, I realize I revert back to that shy HS girl and keep myself busy doing something to avoid interacting more intimately with people...

I spent most of the reunion night...dancing! Yep, even with a painful herniated disk in my back and two other buldging disks, I managed to dance almost every dance...Sure I love pulling people up from their seats and bringing them to the dance floor....and you can have a brief conversation while dancing....but on the most
part....I really didn't talk to anyone....find out what they have been doing for the last forty years...AND I SO REGRET THAT...

when I wasn't dancing....I was taking everyone's pictures....I love taking pictures...and this was the perfect way to say hello...take a picture...and move on to the next table/person......another method of avoidance....Don't get me wrong...photography is becoming one of my passions...I'm even thinking of taking a class and getting a better camera....and I love having the memories forever captured
on "film"...but for me, that night, it was another way to avoid conversing with people....alot of whom I didn't know in HS...or haven't seen in 40 yrs...and really would have liked to find out how they've been and where their paths have taken them.
The guy I most talked to (on the dance floor) and was so happy to see...was Sidney
Brown....He was such a great guy in school and he, Mamie and I had a special friend connection back then,I think...and I am so glad he came and that I did get to find out a little about his life now....I wish he was on FB so that we could keep in touch...

I am blessed to still be great and even best friends with four of my HS friends.....
Mamie in from out of town (and Matt).....and though we don't see each other often, we talk regularly on FB or telephone and I love her dearly..she is one that over the years I had lost contact with for awhile, but the minute we're together, it's like we've never been separated....Deb Dietrich was in from out-of-town...and was staying with us in our home like she does at least once a year....her and I have stayed close, shared the ups and downs of life together....and her husband and mine are great friends also... and it hasn't mattered that distance separates us, we've remained best friends over all these years......the two others live in Hamburg, Bob who we've reconnected through FB, and is like the brother I never had (and who has a lovely wife with the best smile).....and Deb Dutko..who is still so funny and a strong christian whom I can turn to for advice and prayer whenever I need it...I see them occasionally and when I attend their church (about once a month) ....
.....but I didn't spend any quality time talking to any of them either. Thank God good friends understand and accept you and love you for who you are!

I have also been blessed because of FB to be getting to know Kevin and Leilani...and getting together with them on occasion has been so great...they introduced us to kayaking....and carol (devolle) and her husband, brad, from WCH...i look forward to seeing
why He has drawn us together, as couples, and what His plans are for us to do together on the West side of Buffalo..
then there's coleen......her and I were co-treasurers on the reunion committee....It has been so great getting together with her..... we always end up laughing at something....she hasn't
changed much since HS, I don't think....and that's a good thing....I really hope that we continue to see eachother regularly...I consider her a very dear friend....


Oh, I had a great time at the reunion! Seeing everyone was wonderful...and like I said...I love dancing...that was alot of fun....and I have many pictures ...

I do thank God that alot are on FB....it's a way to keep in touch and find out, at least
a little bit, of what is going on in their lives... I love getting daily updates...

...and those of us on the committee in Buffalo have agreed to get together once a month, if possible, to keep that friendship that we developed over the year planning the reunion....going...being on the committee was such a blessing...and everyone is so great - Jeannie, Mary Lou, Lorraine, Coleen, Joe, Patti...and a bonus is....getting to know Mike patti's husband...he fit's in so well with the rest of us.... Brian and I have been friends with Jeannies husband Tom, forever...
and it's been great seeing him regularly again....

but again... I really wish I would have pushed through the fear and have taken the time to talk to everyone...found out a bit of what has become of their lives....


Susan is planning a 60th birthday party get together....and Jeannie, another dear friend from HS, is talking about another reunion in five years......I hope we do have one!

This time I WILL talk to people and have no regrets....I just pray we are all still around and I get that chance to do so.....