| Friends and family are what Life is all about. | | | | non-stop chatter and excitement. Because we held |
| Remember all the fun times you've shared? Wouldn't it | | | | our reunion right after Christmas, we were still in the |
| be great to get together and reminisce about the good | | | | gift-giving mood, so we had a White Elephant gift |
| 'ol days? If it's been too long since you've seen some | | | | exchange. It was a good ice breaker and a way to |
| of those old familiar faces, then it's time to organize a | | | | get everyone involved with each other. Also a good |
| special reunion. | | | | way to get rid of any "you-really-shouldn't-have" gifts |
| I happened to run into an old friend at the airport last | | | | we might have received for Christmas. I would |
| summer that I hadn't seen for 15 years. We had run | | | | recommend some kind of organized activity or game |
| around with the same crowd and we decided that this | | | | like this to draw in the shy ones that might otherwise |
| unlikely meeting was a sign that we should get the old | | | | hide quietly in a corner. |
| gang together for an update. We had been | | | | I think our reunion was a success. The good news |
| disappointed with the high cost and poor turn out of | | | | was that we had a big turnout. The bad news was |
| our high school reunions, so we decided to organize a | | | | that we didn't allow enough time to actually visit with |
| special reunion just for our old neighborhood friends. | | | | them all. Our reunion was held in the evening and only |
| Surprisingly, organizing the reunion didn't take much | | | | lasted a couple of hours because it got late. The best |
| effort thanks to computer technology and mass email | | | | we could accomplish was to mingle through the crowd |
| capability. First we had to track everybody down. | | | | and engage in a little chit chat here and there. If we |
| Some of us had kept in touch so eventually we were | | | | had to do it over again, and hopefully we will, we |
| able to contact everyone else through the grapevine. | | | | should start earlier in the day and allow about four |
| Luckily, I was able to find a couple of "the missing" with | | | | hours. Better yet, a weekend camp over would be |
| online searches. Next we had to coordinate a time and | | | | ideal (hmmm-- maybe next time). |
| place that was convenient for everyone--or at least | | | | When I had first mentioned my 30-yr reunion of |
| the majority. This proved to be the most difficult part. | | | | long-lost friends to my family and co-workers, I was |
| The schedules of those who had to travel the farthest | | | | surprised at some of the reactions. Remarks like, |
| took priority. | | | | "Why in the world would you want to see people you |
| We had our reunion during the week between | | | | haven't seen in 30 years? That's just weird." Of |
| Christmas and New Year's Day because that's when | | | | course my rapid response was, "Because I haven't |
| most of us were on vacation from work. However | | | | seen them in 30 years!" (Obviously some of us are |
| that meant risking hazardous driving conditions, but it | | | | much more sentimental than others). I also realized that, |
| was a risk everyone was willing to take. Sure enough, | | | | evidently, I had been luckier than some people. I had |
| some of us had to drive for hours in the snow, but | | | | grown up with a great group of friends and had |
| fortunately, no accidents. | | | | special memories. If you were as lucky as I was, don't |
| We had asked everyone to bring a potluck dish | | | | let another year go by without letting your friends |
| because that just seemed to be the most practical | | | | know how much those old memories mean to you. A |
| thing to do with a mob to feed. Since our reunion was | | | | reunion is a fun way to celebrate your friendship. Trust |
| held right after Christmas, everyone was so sick of | | | | me, those it's-so-great-to-see-you hugs will make it all |
| the holiday goodies piling around their homes and their | | | | worth it. |
| waists that they eagerly brought all of their leftovers | | | | Tip: Worried about accommodations? When it comes |
| just to get rid of them. | | | | to reunions, I recommend a portable Lifetime banquet |
| Many of us hadn't seen each other for 30 years so | | | | table and some folding chairs. They're easy to store, |
| that made for some awkward moments at first. I must | | | | easy to set up, and easy to clean. Lifetime Products is |
| confess that I didn't even recognize a couple of them | | | | a trusted name in the folding tables and chairs industry, |
| because they had changed their hair color, had started | | | | offering top-quality construction and innovative design |
| wearing glasses, had shrunk, or had grown. But once | | | | features. |
| we all figured out who everybody was, it was | | | | |