August 2006 | Whole Brain Adviser
Surviving High School Reunions
By Nancy Ging, LCSW
Dear WB Adviser: I recently went to my 30th high school reunion, where the cliques were still in place. The cool kids seemed to still think they were cool. Most annoying. Even though I’m a successful lawyer and feel good about my place in the world as an adult, I started feeling like a geeky third-grader, a less-than-desirable wallflower. Not a fun time. Please advise. — Still Feeling Lonely After All These Years
Dear Still Feeling Lonely: Reunions are such good places and spaces to practice unconditional love for oneself. And there’s so much to observe in one’s own reactions to those who had the courage to even show up. Regression to one’s former place in the pack is entirely natural, and not always pleasurable. Breathe in courage, enjoy the music, boogie as best you can, appreciate yourself for all the ways you’ve been evolving as you watch the energy. See who happens to move into your orbit. Birds of a feather gravitate toward each other.
Taking the high road here can be consciousness expanding as you show interest in others. Enjoy the chance to practice acceptance and respect for even those classmates who never quite seemed to appreciate you way back then and may still fail to notice how much you’ve developed. You also can use these events as opportunities to let go of caring about what folks think of you. That’s always liberating.
By the way, did you know that the bond between one’s first true love, whether or not it was consummated, is generally as powerful as one’s marriage partner? This actually makes reunions wonderfully dangerous. Love is eternal, you know. So keep your heart open and show up at reunions. Rare opportunities for integration of past with present, they are.
Nancy Ging, LCSW is a Chicago-area holistic psychotherapist.
![[Send]](http://consciouschoice.com/sendlink/send.gif){kind=small}
Recommend this page to a friend
Top Ten pages recommended to friends:
