This past weekend, I attended my 56th high school reunion.

That’s right, #56.

We sort of forgot about #55, so a group of alumni answered the philosophical question of the day — why wait? — with a resounding “What’s wrong with celebrating #56?”

This explains why we gathered on a fellow grad’s farm in Locust Grove, Georgia, on a sunny, cool day in late October 2025.  (If you do the math, we were the Southwest DeKalb High School class of 1969.

For three hours, we mingled and reminisced about the halcyon days of our youth over half a century ago. We shared memories of sports, teachers, and all the shenanigans many of us got into. We mourned the passing of many classmates, some due to drugs, others from cancer or heart issues, or simply hard living. For the rest of us 74-year-olds, our conversations often included talk about our own physical challenges. Let’s just say, Arthur-itis, cardiologists, and orthopedists frequently came up in our dialogues.

I could not help but recall previous reunions of 10, 20, and 30 years. Those reunions often found us, and let’s be honest, comparing careers, children, spouses, and waistlines. Now in our 70s, celebrating our 56th reunion, I had the distinct impression that petty comparisons were a well-forgotten habit. We simply enjoyed being alive, reminiscing, remembering, and recalling those teenage coming-of-age years.

We even had our dinner catered by the Varsity food truck. For those unfamiliar with Atlanta, the Varsity is an iconic restaurant across I-75 from Georgia Tech. It bills itself as the world’s largest drive-in and is well known for their chili dogs, frosted orange drinks, and their beloved onion rings. Don’t get me started on their fried apple and peach pies. These delightful treats brought back a flood of memories.  Many a date night found its way to the Varsity.  My first date with my high school sweetheart (and later wife) was at the “V.”   The Varsity food truck was the perfect complement to our reunion gathering.

As I returned home, I reflected on the many thoughts that filled my mind. I’m so glad my wife and I attended this reunion. Here are my takeaways from this joyful gathering. I won’t mention the to-go box filled with hot dogs and fried pies.

1. I’m glad I went. It wasn’t the most convenient location or time, but it was good to see people who impacted my life that I rarely see on a day-to-day basis.  
2. High School reunions provide a chance to reflect on your life’s journey. Remembering your hopes and dreams from those teenage years and seeing the path you’ve taken can bring up feelings of joy or sadness. Still, they can inspire a sense of gratitude for the blessings that the relationships from those years bestowed upon you.
3. Cherishing the Now. Looking at my former classmates, one can easily see how time has changed all of us — the wrinkles, expanded waistlines, gray hair (or no hair at all).  The march of time has affected us all. For me, it serves as a sobering reminder to cherish each moment.
4. The Uselessness of Comparisons. I mentioned earlier that reunions in our younger days inevitably provoked a comparison of careers, spouses, or accomplishments.  How ridiculous. I marveled at these classmates, many of whom had dealt with loss and personal struggles, yet here they were. Still alive, still thriving, and enjoying life and relationships. Years ago, I realized the futility of such a comparison mindset that only provoked feelings of envy and resentment. And I made the decision that the only person I compared myself to was the person I was the day before. I purposed to rejoice in the success of friends and co-workers. Such an attitude fed a spirit of joy and contentment within my soul. This past week’s reunion reminded me of the wisdom of that mindset.
5. Time destroys the artificial barriers of the high school years. Every school has its jocks, bookworms, troublemakers, introverts, and goody-two-shoes. Inevitably, cliques form. The beauty of reunions in our senior years is that time has broken down the artificial structure of high school, and such cliques evaporate. We no longer try to impress anyone; we revel in the shared memories of our youthful past. We are simply glad to be here!

High School reunions offer a rare opportunity for reflection. I found myself overwhelmed with gratitude for these people and the memories we share. The abundance of insightful takeaways was well worth the trip.

Speaking of takeaways, excuse me, I hear a Varsity chili dog and some onion rings calling my name from the fridge.