50 Reasons Why You Need To Go To Your 50th High School Reunion:

1. You are grateful you can attend!
2. You realize some of your friends you grew up with are pretty damn cool, still to this day
3. It is hard to believe that you made it through those tumultuous years. Remember the too-fast car rides? The tests you forgot to study for? The teacher who insulted you?
4. You look at old pictures of yourself, and can't believe you were ever that age.
5. You think about your family, and what it was like for your parents and grandparents.
6. Reconnecting is good and powerful.
7. One of your high school teachers comes to the reunion.
8. You cannot believe how many classmates of yours passed away, and you ask why and how and when.
9. You look back and think about some of the foolish things you did or said, and ask "why?"
10. You look back and think about some of the good decisions you made, even though you were just a "high school kid."
11. You talk to a classmate who served in Vietnam, and think about where you were, and what he went through. You thank him.
12. You talk to a classmate who had a really tough time growing up, and you knew nothing about it. You see the pain... and you had no idea.
13. You miss the friends who are not attending but are still around, and wonder where they are or how they are.
14. You see old friends in a new light, a wiser light.
15. You look at some folks and realize you did not connect then, and you still cannot connect now.
16. You miss that really good friend of yours who died way too early.
17. You talk about old times, old girlfriends, old boyfriends.
18. You appreciate the reconnections.
19. You look at that huge football field and can't believe how gorgeous it is, and you relive Friday night football games.
20. You talk about what you did that you weren't supposed to do.
21. You realize how much wiser you are today.
22. You laugh a lot.
23. Your emotions surprise you.
24. You are exhausted from all the energy it takes to see everyone.
25. You look at your old school, walk the halls, and reminisce.
26. You wonder about your own driving force in high school. What motivated you? What bothered you?
27. You relive some of those precious moments.
28. You think about some of your painful moments, and how you got past them.
29. You think about how cool so and so was back then, and that same person now reveals all their personal insecurities and how they never ever really felt cool.
30. That beautiful friend of yours is still beautiful.
31. That friend of yours who was a total geek is now a well-known and successful physician.
32. One of the most "popular" classmates ended up in big trouble. Who would have thought?
33. You see an old friend who is not physically well, and you see those studs who were so cool and so into themselves when you were in school -- but now, they are the kindest, taking care of this friend with such love and warmth.
34. The peer pressure is gone.
35. You see your classmates now as you saw them years ago. They don't look 68. You still see them as 18.
36. You realize life is short. Enjoy the moments now.
37. You can be yourself. You don't have to prove anything.
38. Remember you thought you were invincible?
39. You get to share pictures of your grandchildren, and talk about this new journey.
40. You wonder, "Will I ever see some of these people again?"
41. You get to hear all that great music that you loved, and you remember what those songs meant to you. And you may even dance.
42. You rekindle old friendships, and vow to stay connected.
43. You watch as new flirtations and new relationships develop. What a kick!
44. You recall all sorts of anecdotes and adventures. You may remember some and your friends don't. They remember and you may not. Oh my!
45. You see that boy or girl who was your first crush.
46. You become Facebook friends, and can now really keep up with each other.
47. You recall the politics of the time, what you were doing the day JFK was killed.
48. You see that people are real. Who cares about the frills?
49. You learn how to share more than your gum- you enjoy reaching out to others
50. You reflect on the moment at hand- you are mindful of life's embrace. Something as simple as a reunion can do just that!