Do you still have your High School yearbook? preferably your Grade 12 yearbook. If you do, stop for a minute and go get it.
Remember the most important things
Can you take yourself back all those years… and remember the most important things?
- What were your plans for the Summer? for the Fall?
- Were you going to Grad? did you have your dream date? your perfect outfit?
- Did you want a car? have a car?
- Did you have plans to move to another city? country? continent?
- Were your plans different from some of your closest friends?
- Who were your closest friends?
- What were you going to be?
- What were you going to do?
Such a momentous time
Graduating from high school is such a momentous time. You’re considered an adult whether you’re ready or not. Often times, the financial support of your parents officially terminates.
There are a ton of emotions! Which ones do you remember?
- excitement
- anticipation
- apprehension
- freedom
- independence
- fear
- loss
- readiness
- defiance
or perhaps you have a few more you can add in the comments below!
How do you feel remembering all this now?
How many dreams did you accomplish?
Whatever happened to your closest friends? your high school sweetheart?
Did you travel? get that degree? that spouse? that life?
Your responses to these last questions will range from delight to despair.
The good news is that, while you can’t turn back the hands of time, you can still dream… and the wisdom you’ve gained over the years leaves you in a position to plan smarter, act efficiently, and Win!
The better news is that you can find mentors now – there’s even one writing this post just waiting for you to step up!
Anything is still possible
The best news is that anything is still possible! I chose to not use the word “everything” there… marrying Prince Charles is no longer an option; being the first woman in space is not a title to be had anymore; meeting Nelson Mandela will never happen.
Tell me the grown up, adult dreams you have these days.
Share a secret aspiration you need just a wee bit of encouragement to go for.
I’m big on dreams and aspirations and I’d love to hear yours.
We never had Year Books at school, Agnes. About two years ago we had a 40th School Reunion and I flew to Sydney to attend. It was so wonderful catching up with women I hadn’t seen or spoken to since leaving school. From that reunion I have friends who I wasn’t friends with at school but we have hit it off later in life. Thanks for sharing at #MLSTL and enjoy your week. xx
It’s lovely when time and distance do come together and old acquaintances become new friends.
Interesting you never had yearbooks, Sue. I have most of mine back to the early-mid-60s!! I think I took them for granted!
I remember high school pretty clearly. I didn’t dare to dream to big and would have never guessed where I would end up. I wish I could go back and tell myself a few things! I would be les insecure and more daring.
I think those thoughts are the thoughts of many of us, Michele. I dreamed big but didn’t dare to follow through… but life has a way of unfolding, doesn’t it!
I was going to be a journalist when I graduated. That didn’t happen, but I do write a company newsletter and a blog! 🙂 I was going to get married. Did it–twice! Life is not at all what I anticipated back then, but what a ride! My current aspirations are to travel–a lot!–publish a book, and find a way to encourage and inspire others in the areas of mindfulness and wellness. #MLSTL
I love your current aspirations, Christie. Your dreams seem to materialize in one form or another so I have no doubt you will realize these aspirations!
I keep in contact with some of my school friends through good old FB – love that it keeps the connections alive – seeing our kids get married and now the grandbabies is what I love FB for. I don’t know whether I had a lot of aspirations in yr 12 but I’m probably not doing what I would have expected – but that’s not a problem because where I am is exactly where I need to be. Fun to think back on those times though. Thanks for linking up with us at MLSTL and I’ve shared on my SM… Read more »
“where I am is exactly where I need to be” is such a good outlook, Leanne. Sometimes when I (briefly) wonder where I might be if I’d followed a different path, I remember this is the path that brought me my children and grandchildren and I know I did some things right!
I belong to Classmate.com and love to look back at the folks I graduated with. I often wonder if I look as different to them as they do to me. I haven’t kept in touch with any of my old classmates. Nor have I stayed in contact with those I graduated college with. Not sure why but this is how I roll.
Life moves on and sometimes not all the people move with it, Victoria. As we dream new dreams, we need the right people to support us along the path.
I love this! I look back at all my yearbooks from time to time, especially to see how some of my friends changed over time. My biggest thing in high school was to graduate and get the heck out of my house. I was forced into college for a major I really didn’t want so I mostly rebelled until I actually did move out. I kept in touch with schoolmates for a bit but we all we’re living separate lives and dreams. Thankfully for Facebook, I’ve been able to rekindle so many of my friendships. We often talk of our… Read more »
See how far we’ve come, Bren, and to realize there is no age limit to creating dreams and having aspirations!! Whether we reconnect with unfulfilled dreams or have new dreams, they keep us looking forward with (hopefully) optimism and enthusiasm.