Last
Saturday night my older brother and I had the absolute pleasure of
attending a school reunion, organised by a group of fellow students
in a popular Melbourne hotel, which had been completely renovated
since last we visited many years ago.
Our
quaint high school was quite small, only carrying just over 300
students at one time, and eventually closed in December of 1992, due
to diminishing attendances. A few years later, it was then demolished
to make way for new housing estates. A sad day as a significant
chapter of our youth came to a close.
The
reunion welcomed all past students and teachers to attend and our
excitement grew as my brother and I drove the two hour trip to the
venue. Passing the time, we reminisced and wondered whose faces we
would recognise and who we thought would show.
It
was a brilliant evening had by all. I was extremely disappointed not
one person from my year presented, however there were many people I
knew and recognised, who were a delight to reconnect with. Most from
my brother's year were there, and as I was the 'little sister' back
in the day, I remembered them well, as they did me.
Looking
across the surprisingly large group of people, I saw familiar teenage
faces, now with laugh lines and greying hair, or in some cases no hair
at all! However, the smiles and the glistening pairs of eyes were
just the same as ever before. Young at heart and conversing of old
school days seemed to transform everyone back to the classroom of
familiar closeness, cheekiness and laughter, and many amusing secrets
were unveiled about each other. Where had the time gone….forty
years had slipped unknowingly by.
It
was interesting to hear each other's life journeys thus far. Everyone
had an amazing, unique story to share, filled with inevitable lows
and highs. Amongst the eccentric, creative, successful, famous,
humble and high achieving lives, I was saddened to hear there were
absent students, who were struggling with on-going mental health
issues and/or drug addictions. Some were also fighting a terminal
illness and a few had already lost their battles. Life can be so raw
and cruel….
The
reunion was a wonderful experience and the general consensus seemed
like only yesterday that we had all seen and known each other. It was
also the happiest I'd seen my brother in a long time, and that made
me smile.
No
doubt as the years continue, another reunion will pop up that we will
happily attend – if we are lucky enough to still be around. It was
a lovely, memorable evening stepping back in time with beautiful
souls….
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