I Don't Want it to End

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A few weeks back I wrote a blog about being the lead actor in all the plays that we read in English class.

Well, on Friday night I spent a long while talking to the girl who played Juliet to my Romeo all those years ago.

And man, we all laughed so much at a decent showing of the reunion for the North Collins Class of 1982!

And all other North Collins classes were represented too, so it was a night when you just turned, and talked, and laughed.

I mentioned a number of times that it was really messing with my mind, because there were photos of all of us at 17-years old.

"Damn! I was good-looking!!" I said (about 100 times) "Why didn't girls want to hook up with me?"

My theory was that I was just too nice.

"You were kinda' dorky," Juliet mentioned.

Yet, what really messed with me is the real feelings of love that are in your heart that you kind of bury away and forget about.

I loved those people in that room.

Really did.

And the drama of it all rushes back and we tell ourselves the stories we need to tell to get us through. Some people suffer with the past...

..it's always close behind.

And since then I've met a lot of people and found a lot more love in my life...

...but love in your heart, even from 35 years ago...a lifetime ago...never really escapes you.

Which is awesome.

"I don't want it to end," Juliet said as we all began to say our goodbyes.

We've all been through so much.

Weddings, births, funerals, divorces...

peaks and valleys that living offers.

Life events that would've made the children in those old photos blush.

It doesn't end.

Even though the more grey, bigger (except for the girls in our class - they aren't bigger), more wrinkled, weather-beaten people, walked out the door at the end of the night...

...the love that was in the hearts of those kids...

...remains.

I love so many of the people who were in that room last night...

...lifelong friends.

Partners in English class, prom dates, romantic interests.

Loved my time in high school.

"It made us who we are," I said, at one point, "but damn! The chicks should've dug me!"

Thanks, Juliet...and all my treasured friends.

It doesn't end.

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