Second Wind Publishing discussion

My new release, Water Lily, first started to come to life in the months following my 20th class reunion. This Saturday night is my 35th (I think that officially makes me old)!

My main characters have vastly different reactions to their 20th reunion. Jake can't wait to take a trip down memory lane - being with his old friends is like guest starring in a favorite episode of Cheers. Everybody knows your name. Everybody's glad you came. Compared to Jake's present circumstances, the glory days of his high school years seem pretty wonderful.

The last thing Michelle wants to do is dredge up a lot of old memories and relive a part of her past that wasn't that great in the first place. Just as she fears, the calm contentment Michelle has felt with her life in the 20 years since she graduated evaporates when she's reunited with Jake Sheffield. The occasion of her reunion forces her to confront the past and to start thinking about what she really wants from the future.

On the back cover of Water Lily, I pose the question "Will the murky waters of the past destroy Jake and Michelle's dreams for the future, or will a water lily rise from the depths and bloom?

How do you feel about class reunions? Do you go to them? Avoid them like a plague? Do you dream of rekindling an old romance? Reconnecting with old friends? Or do you think it's better to forget the past and let sleeping dogs lie?

Let me know what you think! There's still time for me to cancel my reservation! :-)

I've attended almost every one of my high school reunions over the many years since I graduated, mainly because one of my oldest friends invites me to go with them each time. My experience has been that the reunions change over the years. I didn't really enjoy the early ones all that much because everyone still mostly associated with their same little groups from the school years and most of the conversation was about current careers and such. I attended my 40th in 2007 and it was really different. I oddly seemed to find myself talking more to people that I didn't closely associate with in my senior year and the conversations were more about happy memories of things like elementary school and even Cub Scouts.

Sherrie wrote: "My new release, Water Lily, first started to come to life in the months following my 20th class reunion. This Saturday night is my 35th (I think that officially makes me old)!
I say go
My main characters..."

part of me is curious to check one out see who of my old gang shows up and how things have changed. I am confident enough that I can stand up to thse who weren't nice to me then --as they aren't scary anymore.
I have done enough in my life to feel fullfilled.

I go to the major reunions - the 50th, e.g., and this past summer, my 55th. But I went to school in a small town, just one school, so most of us went from the first all the way through the 12th together, and several of us have remained friends. To be honest, I'm better friends now with most of them than I was then - I was such a geek! But we always get together for lunch, email back and forth - it's good to have someone who remembers with you what it was like. But I'm not sure our experience is typical. When I tell folks I'm looking forward to one of our lunches, they say, all amazed, "You mean you're still friends with people from high school?" Yes, and glad of it.

For some reason I've been on the planning committees for all of my reunions and because we weren't organized and I was too busy, we didn't have a 35th. Our 40th will be next year, so hopefully we can pull one together.

I like seeing my classmates--I really enjoy being together as a group and it doesn't matter who does what as a job, or what great accomplishments they've made in their lives. What counts is who shows up, getting together, laughing and sharing.

Karen, it's a great place to be when you can say "they aren't scary anymore. I have done enough in my life to feel fulfilled." Good for you!

Norm, to the best of my knowledge, none of my close friends will be at this reunion, so I will be "forced" to find some new people to talk to, which will no doubt be good for me! I hope I don't freeze... and that other people are in the same shoes so I have someone to talk to!

Victor wrote: "I go to the major reunions - the 50th, e.g., and this past summer, my 55th. But I went to school in a small town, just one school, so most of us went from the first all the way through the 12th tog..."

Victor, I'm envious of this! I hope my class heads in that direction one day soon.

Christine wrote: "For some reason I've been on the planning committees for all of my reunions and because we weren't organized and I was too busy, we didn't have a 35th. Our 40th will be next year, so hopefully we c..."

I think you've got it exactly right, Chris. Hope I can say the same at the end of the night.

I don't go but not from any bad memories. I've just moved on and have a very full life. I'm still close friends with my then and now best friend. I married a guy I've known most of my life. I guess doing the group, party think just isn't my thing.

I was just invited to my 10 year high school reunion. I plan on avoiding it like the plague. I haven't stayed in touch with anyone I went to high school with and I just don't feel the need to go back. My life is very full right now with people love and adore. It's the same reason I don't Facebook because I really don't feel the need to reconnect with anyone I haven't talked to in 10+ years.

My 10 year high school reunion was good. Of course I was pregnant with my second child so I basically sat at one table and "held court". Everyone came to me. Music was good. Food was excellent. I was glad I had gone. The twenty year event was enjoyable. I was glad I had gone. It was quite small but we all had a great time. The twenty-five year reunion was horrible. I came back home depressed and feeling rejected. All of maybe three people even acknowledged me. I had not expected that. I was well liked and popular in high school so this "reception" took me by surprise.

I have only gone to one college reunion and I won't ever go again. I attended at great expense (had to take two days off from work, drive, pay for hotels, and I had my kids with me...all teenagers...as it was a family event with a lot of activities for the kids) so that included more expense. I had signed up for mini-reunions and for lectures and the main lunch on the first day. We all had name tags on. Not a single person came to say hello and not one person even acknowledged me when I went up to groups to try to participate. Humiliating is too mild a word for it.

Never again.

I've never been to any of my class reunions. The key reason is because I live clear across the country now and don't have the time or resources to attend.

Frankly, though, I really don't have much of a desire to return for any reason. My life is so different than what it was then and there are some memories I don't want to relive.

Kate wrote: "I was just invited to my 10 year high school reunion. I plan on avoiding it like the plague. I haven't stayed in touch with anyone I went to high school with and I just don't feel the need to go ..." I understand how you feel, Kate! That would be my tendency, too, but for some reason, I am going again.

Lavada wrote: "I don't go but not from any bad memories. I've just moved on and have a very full life. I'm still close friends with my then and now best friend. I married a guy I've known most of my life. I..." Sounds like a good place to be, Lavada!

Thanks Sherrie, it is a good place to be.
Lavada

Corina wrote: "My 10 year high school reunion was good. Of course I was pregnant with my second child so I basically sat at one table and "held court". Everyone came to me. Music was good. Food was excellent...." I'm sorry you had a bad experience, Corina. Until this year's reunion, I've always had a security blanket - a good friend who I knew would be there for me to hang out with. This year - no one. We'll see what happens. And I will also say that Michelle, my main character from Water Lily, knows just how you feel.

LuAnn wrote: "I've never been to any of my class reunions. The key reason is because I live clear across the country now and don't have the time or resources to attend.

Frankly, though, I really don't have much..."

You said it well, LuAnn. There are many things about those years that I would just as soon forget once and for all.

I have only been to an elementary school reunion. We called it "Grammar School" back in the day. Most of the same people did go on with me to high school but the high school was very rough with race riots and gang fights and I don't think I'd like seeing that crowd again.

Mickey Hoffman wrote: "I have only been to an elementary school reunion. We called it "Grammar School" back in the day. Most of the same people did go on with me to high school but the high school was very rough with rac..." Am I remembering right that this is the basis of one of your books?

I think Stephen King said something about reunions - you only go to see who got fat and who got bald. Then the guy who's now a successful realtor reverts to the Hendrix wannabe and starts blasting out stuff on the guitar he just happened to bring with him.

I think it might be something to do with reassuming roles because of peer expectation, even though you've long since left that role behind.

As you might guess, I don't go :)

Paul wrote: "I think Stephen King said something about reunions - you only go to see who got fat and who got bald. Then the guy who's now a successful realtor reverts to the Hendrix wannabe and starts blasting ..." Can't blame you, Paul!

I have two friends that I reconnected with in the years following graduation and on a bet; all of us went to our mutual 10 year reunion, convincing our spouses to come along. All of us were a little skeptical. Only one of us guys married their high school sweetheart. After three crazed activity filled days, we all agreed. Never again. Our graduating class was huge (well over a thousand). All of the daytime activities were jammed with children of every age from tiny little to ten. Ten is a guess, some looked older. Organizers for the 3 day event under-anticipated the army of little feet. Don’t get me wrong, I love children, ours were too little and stayed with grandparents. It was weird seeing all of the old cliques’ reform and breakup and reform. Comical. The football jocks mustered a game that never finished the first quarter, ending with a broken arm and a QB with a dislocated shoulder. It was fun to see old classmates and hear how their lives had changed. It was ironic and telling to discover the guy that graduated near bottom of the class returned as a multi-millionaire. My fortieth year reunion is not far around the corner. Just like the two previous, I will be truant.

Incidentally, the three of us, first wives and all, (still married) are still good friends and empty nesters all.

I think it was James Agee that said in "A Death in the Family" -- "How far we all come. How far we all come away from ourselves. You can never go home again."

Nicholas wrote: "I have two friends that I reconnected with in the years following graduation and on a bet; all of us went to our mutual 10 year reunion, convincing our spouses to come along. All of us were a little..." Wow! Sounds wild! I love the story about the millionaire. And I'm glad you came out of the experience with some renewed, lasting friendships.

My mother's aunt went to school with Bing Crosby. She always said he was voted Least Likely to Succeed in their high school graduating class!

LuAnn wrote: "My mother's aunt went to school with Bing Crosby. She always said he was voted Least Likely to Succeed in their high school graduating class!" Amazing! That makes you think, doesn't it?

Sherrie wrote: "Karen, it's a great place to be when you can say "they aren't scary anymore. I have done enough in my life to feel fulfilled." Good for you!" THANKS SHERRIE
BESIDES I HAVE DEVELOPED A SENSE OF HUMOUR (SOMETIMES SARCASTIC) THAT CAN SHUT THE WORST HECKLERS DOWN.

Never been...really after 30 years, I don't remember anyone...

I remember my tenth year reunion. Everyone was working at mundane jobs, but on the brink of changing to something amazing, wonderful and/or glamorous.

Later reunions were better. People were more relaxed.
There was a big one this year, but I was doing something else.