To My 17-year-old Self...

If you've been anywhere near my Facebook presence lately, you couldn't miss the fact that my 40th high school reunion came and went a couple of weeks ago. I was, as one of my classmates said, relentless in the pursuit to lasso as many attendees as possible. And it worked! We drew nearly 140 attendees, and though I didn't get around to talk to as many people as I wanted to, I hit the jackpot in the "I never knew that" department.

I never knew that some of the people I went to school with as a teenager had such challenges, or felt, as I did, so peripheral to the parties and the circles of friends that others had. (And lest you think I'm waxing pathetic here, let me say that I grew up just fine, with exactly the right amounts of insecurity and self-esteem, so that it balances out perfectly.) I never knew that some of the people who weren't in my line of vision four decades ago were so NICE. Some of the folks I got to know through developing the reunion were so supportive, so complimentary, so helpful, so kind and smart. And I have a few new friends as a result whom I intend to keep for life. (Whether they like it or not.)

And here's the one I loved the best: the handful of boys-now-men who told me they were crushing on me when we were kids. That my combination of brains and personality and 17-year-oldness added up to a pretty great package. Me: totally oblivious at the time, but so touched to hear it now that I didn't even scream, "WHAT? My whole life could have been different!" (Well, I did, in fact, say that to one of the guys...along with a suggestion that if he comes back in another life, he should be brave and tell the girl early on. Keep those options open.) And if I could advise my younger self? I'd say this: "Stop looking at what you think you don't have, take a look at what you do, and work it, girl."


© 2014 A Bit of Brie/Anitabrie