Taking a Break
I recently celebrated my 30th high school reunion with the Class of 1993, reconnecting with some of my closest friends. Moving from Texas to Maryland in sixth grade, I forged bonds that have lasted nearly four decades. It was heartwarming to see how far we've all come, excelling in various fields while sharing laughter, joy, and the challenges of life. This reunion reminded me of the enduring power of friendship and community. We left with promises to meet again in five years, carrying the love and support we shared throughout the weekend into our everyday lives.
From April 22-24, 2023, I celebrated my 30th high school reunion with some of the best people ever. My classmates in the Class of 1993 have been some of the most dependable friends I have had the honor to know. Most people don’t know that I wasn’t always from Maryland. I was born and raised in Texas until 6th grade when I moved from Texas to D.C. to Maryland. In 7th grade, I started school at Sligo Seventh-Day Adventist Elementary School in Takoma Park. This is where I would meet most the friends I would make in the class of 1993. And this would start a journey with these amazing people that would last for almost 4 decades.
It was amazing seeing how far we’ve come from the awkward experience of middle school to adulthood. It was definitely interesting to hear how we’ve all become leaders in different fields. From medicine to education to politics, we’ve all changed in some ways but have also remained reliably the same in others. We’ve laughed and cried and shared so much together. From the joys of a new grandchild to the pain of losing members of our class, parents, and other loved ones, we’ve always shown up for each other when we’ve needed each other the most. And as always, there was the laughter…the golden melodic sounds of reconnection that happens once every 5 years.
And at the end of our reunion, we all hugged and answered the call of the individual reality of our every day lives. But we walked taller having had the powerful connection with each other for the weekend. Bolstered by the love of our community, we left each other promising that we would do this again in 5 years time. So until then, I will continue on in my individual reality until we meet again.