Days Go By

"I can feel them flying like a hand out the window in the wind" ~ Keith Urban

I stated the other day that I don't consider myself to be old. That perspective changes a little when I remember that my 25th high school reunion is this Saturday.

25 years.

That will make you feel old.

Below is a picture from my yearbook. Not my senior picture, just a picture.



Here is the story behind the picture.

A feature story was being done on a group of students that I was in and I was unaware of the story, despite being on the yearbook staff. The yearbook deadline for printing was drawing near. My classmate who was taking the pictures came up to me one day totally exasperated. You see, he'd been waiting for a couple of weeks to take my picture.

Waiting on me to "look like everyone else."

What you see in the picture is pretty much how I dressed for school every day.

Apparently I've always been a bit of a geek.

Many in my high school class have already started reconnecting on Facebook. I've "friended" a lot of folks that I really didn't know that well in high school. We ran in different groups, had different backgrounds, different classes and career paths.

And I find now that we actually have a lot in common. We like the same music and artists, love to travel, enjoy reading, never had children. It made me stop and think about how many people I meet every day that I don't really get to know but with whom I may actually have a lot in common. Potentially very good friends that really just pass through our lives.

How much would it take to get to know someone better? How much effort? Wouldn't it be worth it? All it might take is a cup of coffee, or an invitation to lunch, or adding a new name to an old guest list.

Not everyone is what they seem. Sometimes the least likely choice is the right one. Someone doesn't have to live or work or "be" just like you to add something to your life.

They might even dress funny.

But give them a chance. You won't know until you try.