Sometimes you are just cruising along when it happens. You receive a phone call or a note in the mail that interrupts your life momentarily. It’s a reunion of your class from high school, college or graduate school. A reunion is usually a social gathering with people you were associated with in the past. It is the opportunity to reunite with people who were a very important part of your life at a very important time in your life. It allows you to renew old friendships and to make new ones. Reunions can provide the incentive you need to get going and become all that you can be.
Reunions remind you of who you were and who you have become. They force you to review your life which can be a good thing. They provide an opportunity to take a personal inventory of where you are and where you want to be. This can be emotional and stir up deep-seated psychological issues.
Reunions also stir up remembered joys or remembered sorrows. They may make you feel nostalgic and yearn for the “good old days” or they may make you feel pain and regret.
Some people will not go to their reunions because they are not proud of themselves. They might be embarrassed and ashamed by their past actions and attitudes and their perceived lack of current success. They may not want to be judged. Remember however, it can provide a chance to rewrite your story and set the record straight.
Some people will go because they are very proud of themselves and they want to show off a little and be envied. It is acceptable to be proud of your accomplishments.
If you decide to go and if it is appropriate and you have the time, make yourself the best that you can be physically and psychologically. Have a very short summary of your life that you can repeat with confidence. Go with a pure, non-judgmental and kind heart.
Patricia Frank is a Licensed Psychotherapist. She can be reached at 305-788-4864.
