WARNING: This post is a total over-share. (In fact, I can't believe I'm writing about this at all!)
You've been warned.
I'm pretty content with my life as it is. Seriously, it's the truth.
I'm proud to be Cuban-American and I have an incredible extended family on both sides that I (very obviously) love.
I adore and am proud of all four of my kids and we (most of the time… =D) get along great.
I'm convinced I married very well and as corny and cliché as it sounds, my husband is (most of the time.. =D) my best friend. (I'd say he was my "soul mate," except for I hate the sound of that much more, but that's not important right now.)
I have the most wonderful friends – both the regular and online variety. =D
I love my home, because even though it's very small, it stretches to accommodate all the people we jam into it. Which we do often.
I'm satisfied with myself and my creative endeavors from scrapbooking and photography to graphic design to blogging to cooking to blogging about cooking (=D) Not only have they been wonderful outlets of self-expression for me, but my efforts are generally pretty well received.
I have settled the homeschooling issue and feel confident in my ability to educate my kids at home.
I am at peace with God and know my purpose in life.
So, taking it all into consideration, I'd say I'm pretty content with my life and my lifestyle. Yep. My life is good. Pretty amazing, actually. I would go so far as to say that I lead A Charmed Life. (In fact, I do say it – often!)
So, why, I ask you, did I go into complete panic mode when I received an invitation to…
(insert horror movie music here)
…my High School Reunion???
What madness is this?
And I'm one of those few weirdos who actually enjoyed high school! (I know! And, you can totally tell I'm panicking by all the exclamation points I'm using!!!) 😉
So, where did this crazy thinking spring up from?
It's irrational, I know.
I have a recurring nightmare that I am back (ironically) in high school and I can't remember what classes I'm in, or what my locker combination is. And my conscious mind knows that my high school schedule or combination is certainly NOT the subconscious issue, but I wake up in a kind of panic anyway.
It's totally irrational like that. I went into a weird sort of waking panic.
It's like I'm thinking that everyone else has stayed exactly the same. Frozen in time in 1973 and I am The Only One Who Has Aged. I know. This is the stuff of NIGHTMARES! Okay, so I have even actually seen many of these people in the last few years, and I've stayed friends with many of them, but don't bother me with facts right now, I'm in the middle of a panic attack here!
Where is this craziness coming from? Like I said, I totally enjoyed high school. I'm still in touch with many of the people that still matter to me. And my life is very good. So what's the problem?
I think somewhere inside I'm thinking that I'll be embarrassed somehow that I've aged and have to wear glasses and have laugh lines around my eyes and wrinkles on my face and no way could I fit even my left thigh into my old blue and gold cheerleader outfit. (heavy sigh)
This reaction that I am having is actually waaay more embarrassing. I can't believe that so many immature and insecure thoughts are trying to take up residence in my mind. Seriously. I need to so get over myself.
So, I thought… well, whatever….
I talked myself down from the limb by rehearsing those truths I started this post with and have committed to going to see my wonderful old friends. I'm flattered by the many people who are emailing me and I'm looking forward to catching up with them. So, yes. I'm going to go to that reunion after all.
Honestly, I'm pretty comfortable in my own skin. I like the person I've become and I'm very satisfied with my choices in life.
And as for the wrinkles and all that stuff…
Well… there's a lot of good times stuck in those laugh lines. =D
An excellent post, my dear Marti. Go “WOW” them at that reunion!!
It’s all good and then some. You go girl!!!!And take along some cookbooks. 😉
Marta, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised that you will look better than 98.9% of your old classmates. You ooze happiness and light.
They are all going to be so intimidated by you and wishing they had your charmed life 🙂 I’m glad you have good friends, cuz I’m one of them!!
I went to my Balboa HS high school reunion reluctantly, remembering only my awful senior year (we moved the summer before) and not the fun I had had in the three years I spent at Balboa in Panama. I had a blast! People remembered me whom I did not remember and it was really nice to see them all. And yes, everyone had changed, except the cheerleaders (talk about winning the genetic lottery), but so what? The memories were the same.Your glasses are too cute! What kind are they? I am in the market.
c-f,I was a cheerleader… (are you surprised?) =D
The glasses are made by GUCCI. My fat, black prescription sunglasses are BCBF Max Azria. (this is the only area of my life I insist on designer stuff)
I meant… BCBG Max Azria. See? Designer-retard. =D
Marta, the cheerleaders in my school were not nearly as nice as you! I was a total nerd. The cheerleaders were of the Beautiful People and never did the nerds and the Beautiful People mix.I totally understand the designer desire. Chris doesn’t understand why I insist on a really nice, expensive (OK, my sister got it for me on eBay for $200, but retail it’s $450) purse, but for the things you use every single day and are such a big part of how you look, you want something nice. (I also tell him that if I get a good purse, I can use it for five years instead of buying a new cheap one every four months.)