High School Reunion is Gold

Fifty years after graduating from high school, Connie characteristically stirs up the class by a bold call for action via a group messenger she created early of last year, if my recall serves me right, as this still is a short-term memory. Coming from someone who spent years as assistant operations manager of a huge retail holding in Switzerland, Connie, by force of habit, fiercely wakes and directs the dormant group with no more connections among its members except the likes we give to one another’s social media posts. I think the low-key spirit has nothing to do with us being in our 60s, which recently, is categorized by researchers as still middle aged (fight me). We wait for the right time and space. True enough, our exclusive all-girls school trait of jumping into new adventures and misadventures resurface as we excitedly dive into this new spring. Yes, we are alive and kicking!

From being teen (and sometimes mean) girls who refuse to define what we are and just went on with what we are becoming, to women with our own families and careers that propelled us to become mature and wise decision-makers, time indeed transforms people into life’s wonders. Chit remains the most amiable classmate; she truly is Miss Congeniality and Wife and Mother of all time, marrying the love of her life at seventeen with whom she will have the rare experience of celebrating a golden wedding anniversary next year. With her in Manila and just a short trip away from our former school, Chit starts meeting with the alumni association for our preparation as 50th year jubilarians (this in the midst of her husband needing attention at home). Klaree, through the virtual sermons of Connie, joins in the effort fast. This gentle class President of ours is chosen as one recipient of the Alumni Award of Distinction for her expertise in Human Resource development she earned from 30 years in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Together, Chit and Klaree attend a series of meetings and small get-togethers with other school batches. Then the funds come steadily from my classmates which earned the group much more than the amount required by the alumni association and which allowed a truly grateful me to participate (with Lourdes putting in another amount to cover more people). The ball is rolling.

Then the venue of the rehearsals becomes necessarily spacious enough in a quiet place. Irene, with a degree in music and now the in-control mother who owns a popular ballet school caringly offers her studio for our practices. Tina (with experience in banking, international finance management and entrepreneurship) with the pretty and agile Wee are leaders in their own right. Suggesting the song, music and dance production for our number is a tall order as we are given only 16 minutes to perform. To top it all, they dance as if they never aged. They patiently teach us how to follow the simple, bone-friendly steps to Jackson’s “Beat It” after the other dancer-classmates complained about the lack of instructions, request for counting so they can follow the steps. Small disagreements make the day more interesting accompanied by snacks, snacks, snacks! Most special is how old relationship rough edges start to patch and mend. Rehearsals prove to be priceless. For the first time after five decades, I get to see Estella, the demure and friendly type who is generous with her contributions as well; Tess, the meek yin of a vocal and frank yang of her sister Monina, is retired from being personnel assistant in a local construction company ; Baby, who truly looks as frail as one since high school now commands a fruitful stock trading portfolio; Melda, has molded from the nonchalant volleyball player to an awesome lady who spent her career life in government service and who enthusiastically sings with me a shortened version of the classic Jackson song ‘Ben” (which to us symbolizes friendship and, as I think of it now, apt for the year of the Rat in Chinese Zodiac); Marza, the health care provider and the endearingly funny one who decides to retire in the country because she simply loves the Philippines; and Lourdes, my cherished friend from high school to college turns up from Pennsylvania as a Martin Luther King awardee for heart fully serving a cross-cultural set of students in the university’s Student Affairs Office. On my end, I have served local communities for some 30 years through government special projects and through national as well as international non-government work. The achievers are on the way.

And the big day comes with rain which actually feels refreshing as we are in a closed hall. We don, for our costume, anything from the Fabulous 50s with white sneakers and identical scarves from Telly overseas. As we look around, we miss our Sister Principal who passed away two months before the affair and our former teachers nowhere to be found. Before our number, our classmates violently react to the omission of our class year on the cover of the souvenir program (which is currently being corrected along with a letter of apology from the organizers). Who says we are the forgetful, oldest batch of the homecoming? Nonetheless, we joyfully stage our number, with me failing to breathe in between words of the song and the rest going on with what they are supposed to do or more of what they think would be fun to do. Applause, applause! We get the audience remembering that age does not matter when it comes to being happy; though honestly, it did matter to my rapidly palpitating heart after the show.

Yes, how the milestones and resources have grown, indeed; and hard-earned at that! (Apologies for those whose contributions and accomplishments are not cited in this article). When you get to my age, you appreciate that riches have different forms. Of course, the money side necessarily spells the trade of the time as it buys us survival and comfort; this we cannot ignore even if we go on to become centenarians. In this stage and era of technology, living beyond 70s up to 90s is reachable and doable, at least according to studies among people who maintain a healthy regimen of exercise, healthy food intake, proper rest and having a positive attitude in life. Yet, all these need a healthy environment to accomplish. Well, good luck to clean air, more trees, more care for Mother Nature in a still struggling socio-economic environment that is our nation.

And to my high school batch, let us not forget not to forget.