I've been catching up with some high school friends on Facebook. It's amazing how clearly I remember some events that happened more than 10 years ago (O.K. more like 15). I still feel happy, embarrassed and sad when I think about the events that made me feel happy, embarrassed and sad in high school. Isn't that weird? Why should I still care? Why would I cringe today when I remember an embarrassing moment that happened 14 years ago? Maybe I'm not cringing about the event. Maybe 32-year-old Dawn is feeling empathy for high-school Dawn.
Luckily I mostly remember happy days (my own, not the show's). When I look at this picture of my high-school cross country team wining a regional championship, I still feel the pride that I felt that day. I feel a bit silly about still taking pride in that day. I don't want to be that old lady who tells grocery store check-out clerks about how she was prom queen. (Not that I was, of course, or I would certainly have told you before now.) Besides, haven't I done something more, um, recently that I could take pride in? Let me think... Graduated high school. Graduated college. Got job. Moved across country. Got better job. Got married. Bought house. Got new job. Moved back across country. Sold house. Bought second house. Yeah, doesn't seem as exciting as that regional cross country championship, huh.
Maybe I won't become that chatty old lady as long as I don't talk about my past accomplishments with strangers. Maybe that's how I can embrace my past without living in it.
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