A Little Yearbook Fun

If you haven't done so in a while I strongly suggest going back to your high school yearbook and reading the words written by your fellow classmates. I just finished going through my freshmen year of high school yearbook and boy is it telling. Of course it is now 15 years old. I cannot believe it's been that long. The great thing I found in reading my yearbook is I am sooo not the person I used to be and then again I am. I'll elaborate.

If you are near my age you may laugh at "K.I.T.". I have like 40 phone numbers from various high school friends because at the end of their note they wrote K.I.T. (keep in touch) and their home phone. Of course this predates everyone having cell phones. This unfortunately has nothing to do with my revelation. I just found it humorous.

If you are familiar with yearbook etiquette it is very customary for people to end their note to you with a simple "never change" or "stay that way". Based on what I read today I have always been a speak my mind kind of gal. Most my classmates admired this trait while some saw it as rude or mean. Of course I know why the varying sentiments. It all depends on whether you were on the receiving end when I would speak my mind. So this is how I have stayed the same and changed at the same time. I still speak my mind. I've always felt that honesty is the best policy. I've also always admired when people shot it to me straight, no chaser. Because I do fundamentally believe in treating others the way I would want to be treated, I am definitely a person that shoots it to you straight. I have learned that often my advise is not wanted and can be insensitive. So, I have learned when to say things and even better how to be a straight shooter with little injury. I didn't have this tact in high school. Oddly, a lot of people felt comfortable telling me I was insensitive so either I wasn't that scary or people are really tough on paper. I'll choose to believe that I wasn't that scary. I did find comfort in reading that a lot of my classmates found me to be funny and smart. Those are two great characteristics.

It's always good to get a glimpse of how yourself through someone else eyes. I wish there was some way for people to write yearbook messages to me now. It would be pretty cool to get to read the messages 15 years from now and get another glimpse at the person I was or am.