Nostalgia

It is common for one to experience nostalgia, or be nostalgic, but today I got totally lost in nostalgia. Let me take you back....

It's a crazy thought to think that 31 years ago, I graduated from high school. To some of my older  readers, that may seem like a short span of time, but to me, this is a long time. Your nostalgia is a different one than mine. This past weekend, our senior class gathered together for our 31-year class reunion. There was supposed to be a 30-year reunion last year, but as you can guess, 2020 was not a good year to have any type of gathering. So rather than scrap it and wait for the 40-year, we decided on a 31-year class reunion. We gathered at a local restaurant to eat, catch up, and reminisce. Since I spent only my senior year at BHS, I didn't have the memories and friendships that the other folks had. I had many friends to chat with, but the only memories I had to share were from only my senior year. I really did enjoy myself, and many of my former classmates reminded me of their names, and we chatted about life in general, and what we were doing during this period in our lives. Many of these former classmates have changed over the years, and while I couldn't remember many names, I could still recognize who they were, although many of them are now inches from turning 50.

The next day, our activities were located at BHS itself, for breakfast and a tour. I have to say, there is very little in that school that I recognized. There have been extensive renovations and building projects that have taken place over 31 years, and many of us had to stop and try to calculate where we exactly were. While it's fun and great to see progress, it's just a bit sad to not see the same building that we remembered. The school looks great, and it's very modern. Approximately 700 students will walk these halls next month, and they will have no idea of the history and memories that still float through those halls. As we toured, people were reminiscing about "Remember when.....?" Of course, I couldn't remember about 95% of what they were talking about. It really made me wish that I had spent all of my high school years with this group. I really enjoyed myself. A few classmates, remembering that I had only spent my senior year there, directed a few memories my way in order to help me feel included. That was nice. We also chatted about those classmates we have lost over the years, some that I didn't realize had passed.  As we get older, we will lose more, sadly. The folly of growing older. 

After our time at BHS was over, I took a drive around town, visiting the places I had often gone while I was growing up. I went to the playground of my grade school and was struck to see some  sets of monkey bars that I had played on as a kid. They were very weathered, and bore the marks of having been painted multiple times during the 40 years since I had been there. I walked over to these monkey bars and grabbed one of the bars, and a wave of memories washed over me. I could still see my classmates hanging upside-down from the top, and could almost hear the sounds that usually accompany a playground. I also remember that I often played alone. I was bullied and picked on as a kid, and only had a few kids whom I considered my friends. I remember spending time with Ryan, Donald, and David, and got a little misty-eyed as I stood there gripping those monkey bars. Nothing else on the entire playground was the same, just these monkey bars, and it was special to see that they had been preserved after all this time. 

I drove to the parks I had loved going to, and drove by the houses I had lived in, and went past the homes of my childhood friends. I drove down some back roads to see what was the same and what was different, and before I left town, I came to one realization: I really miss living here. It's such a quiet community, far different from the hustle and bustle of Hutchinson. However, I have built my life around Hutchinson: My family, work, church; and and as much of my life is centered in Hutchinson, it would not be practical to move back to the peacefulness of Buhler. 

When I got home, somehow it seemed as though I had been gone for years. Things seemed different. It was at that point that I realized that I had been hopelessly lost in the nostalgia of years gone by, and it was a nice trip. What a weekend. I will take this nostalgia and these memories with me for a very long time.  Have you ever gotten lost in nostalgia? I'd like to hear your story. And if you have known me for a very long time, maybe we could swap some memories and take that fun trip back to nostalgia. I like it there. 

Thanks for reading! God bless!