As youth we all want to grow up or at least grow as fast as we can.  We desperately want to get there. We grab as many opportunities as we can.  But growing up means we have to leave some people behind. Sometimes we make the choice not to grow up for that reason. We just don’t want to end up alone.

Some people can’t seem to leave their high school years. They simply don’t want to leave all those cherished friends behind in order to venture out into the vast unknown. For some of us that happens when we graduate from college.  We are expected to use all our learned knowledge to take our place in the world but we can’t seem to leave the college lifestyle behind. I think that is especially true for those who were members of sororities and fraternities.

I have known some friends in both of those states. One was a jock in high school. He did leave to get a college education but then went back to be a coach of the high school team he once belonged to. He spent 30+ years beyond high school in various capacities in the school he graduated from years before.

A couple of other friends, like myself are graduates of Purdue University. They went on to jobs in the private sector but for their entire lives remained loyal booster of the various sports programs. They were season ticket holders for multiple sports and proud alumni members for decades. When they retired they moved back to be close to the college campus.

I for the most part took a different tract in life. When new doors opened in my life I went through them and pretty much left the old life to my memories. I did go to my forty-fifth high school reunion a few years back but really didn’t have much memories or things to talk about with my classmates. Part of the reason for that is due to my deafness. When my old classmates learned that I am now deaf they for the most part avoided any attempt at a conversation. That made the event less than pleasurable for me. I readily admit that a big part of the responsibility for that lack of communications was self-inflicted. I am having serious doubts about attending the fiftieth reunion.

Now that I have been retired for fourteen plus years my work life is also somewhat of just a memory to me. The hurts and accomplishments are things of the past. I try to live my life in the here and now instead of spending much time looking backwards.  Just another aspect of my personality I guess. I don’t burn bridges but I don’t often travel back on ones I have already crossed. Those times are better left to memories as far as I am concerned….