I quite literally took a trip down memory lane this past weekend. I had to work my way around a storm to get there but I was determined to make it to my 20th high school reunion. It doesn’t seem like 20 years could have possibly passed since I walked across that stage and claimed my diploma.

When I pulled into Fayetteville I breathed a serious sigh of relief. Fortunately, I left with enough time to indulge in a little pampering at a local nail shop before heading over to greet my classmates, many of whom I had not seen in 20 years.

Staring down on Dickson Street we laughed, told stories and caught up on each other’s lives. They even broke out the yearbooks which added a whole other dimension to the celebration.

We also reflected on the members of our class who are no longer with us and let me tell you, as a not even 40-year old facing the actual number of high school classmates I’ll never see again gave me pause.

One of the great and glorious highlights of the evening was seeing this chica. It is wonderful to still be able to connect with folks who loved you through your awkward periods all the way into adulthood.

On day two I ended up on a bit of a detour that was definitely worth breaking protocol. A few of my classmates who couldn’t make it to the reunion and I were able to meet up briefly and fellowship a bit.

(Oh yes, that is the new WRITEaddiction t-shirt you see right there. You’ll be seeing more of those in the weeks to come.)

I took the opportunity to visit the corner where I used to wait for the bus to pick me up for school. I remember hoping to get Mr. Thomason or Mr. Al. There was just something about those two that made me feel safe on the way to school.

I also had to detour for a little quality family time watching an ambitious production of Aladdin Jr. at Bentonville High School.

And of course, no weekend trip to Fayetteville is complete without a visit to the Farmers Market!

Were there a few other things that happened in between these highlights? Of course! But what happens at the reunion stays at the reunion, right? 😉

Marta C. Youngblood is a writer, education and social entrepreneur based in Hot Springs, Arkansas. For more information on her current projects visit https://about.me/MCyoungblood.