How did we get here? No, really?

One of my old high school friends recently asked me, “Did you ever think we would have all ended up here?”

After high school everyone begins different journeys. Catch-ups turn into gossip sessions over who has gotten married, engaged, had a child. Talk inevitably turns to what you’re studying, how long you have left, what you’re going to do with the rest of your life. Because obviously it’s been four years since high school and if you don’t know now when will you ever know?

I try not to look back to high school too much. I’m not one for dwelling on the past. But it’s interesting when you think how some people can do complete 360 degree turns with their lives and their personalities and how others are basically the same, just older, with some highlights in their hair and a better (or worse) clothing style. Everyone seems more independent, slightly more together.

But going back to the question of whether I thought that I and my old friends would have ended up where we are now. The answer is probably no. When I was 12 I thought that by the time I was 20 I’d have two books published, pursuing a law degree and have a really good boyfriend. Instead I’ve settled for some published articles, an arts degree (much better in my opinion) and waiting for this really good boyfriend (which I might have if I wasn’t so damn picky).

The only thing that really stands out from when I was younger till now is that I wanted to write and I’m still writing.

As for everyone else, I’m still surprised by what people are doing… getting married, learning Swedish massage, studying in Tasmania or whatever. I guess I had inklings of what I thought people would study, who they would date but life always throws in surprises. People you thought would study medicine end up dropping out, others move and you don’t hear from them again.

And so life progresses, paths cross intermittently and friendships drift without the day to day of high school that once anchored us down.

T