I ran into an old friend today from high school. Next month is our 10-year reunion. I haven’t talked to my high school friends in years! After we caught up about what we were each doing I asked him if he ever heard from….Let’s just say –  Dog, Cat, Rabbit, Horse, Donkey, or Chicken? 

Now Dog could have any girl he wanted. He was popular, rich, and as far as any of us knew – had everything he could ever want. My friend told me – you didn’t hear about Dog? He overdosed in his house about two years ago. Cat – he overdosed about 1 year ago. Rabbit – he was in a car wreck and died. He was under the influence. Horse – he had a brain aneurism (kind of scary) and died a few months ago. Donkey – he’s in prison for drug possession. Chicken – he’s gone too – suicide. 

WHAT?? WHAT?? WHAT?? I immediately felt the tears stroll down my face. I just couldn’t believe it. All of these overdoses – drinking – drugs – deaths. These weren’t from people that “looked like or had the appearance of”  someone who could ever have a problem with that stuff. Some of these were people that I loved – joked with – laughed with – cried with. How could this be true? 

How do you spend years and years  – over half my life – with people and then you graduate and never speak again until the reunion? How does that even happen? I mean I know everyone grows up and goes to college and the clicks from high school are no longer…..but how did I forget about so many people that I would truly call my friends? 

I was actually here during one of the funerals and never even knew. I saw the crash remains – I saw people gathered crying after it was over – and yet never knew that this was someone I was best friends with in 7th/8th grade. You think I’m funny? You should meet him. When you put us two together – we were unstoppable…..which often got us in trouble! We even got sent to the principal’s office together – several times! Luckily the principal knew I was a “good missionary girl” and we often talked our way out of any troubles. 

It just amazes me how you could spend such a good part of your life – walking the halls together, laughing together, joking together, dreaming together. fighting together – only for that to be your last memories together?

Some of these people – just like in all schools – we even were wishing we could be, wishing we had their money, their house, their life…….only to see their life couldn’t be all that we thought it was or it couldn’t have ended this way. It makes me wish that we got past all those superficial things and really knew the hurt they must have had. 

My friend and I talked for a long time – like nothing had ever changed and the 10 years we were apart meant nothing. I told him I was afraid to ask about anyone else….I don’t think I could handle it. There were a lot of beautiful stories of people who got married, have kids, have great jobs, and have all the appearances of a wonderful life.

I’m just not sure I believe in “appearances” anymore because if appearances were reality – I wouldn’t be so sad right now.