Divining the Future

How many of us are leading the lives we'd invisioned back in high school? When I was branded Most Likely to Ditch Graduation, did that foretell future calamity on account of stubborn refusal to do things I don't want to do, at a time and place someone demands I be? If I'm being honest, yes.

I attended my 10-year high school reunion in 1996, and was not at all surprised by how my classmates turned out. The jocks were indeed all salesmen, the popular girls all soccer moms or desperate party-girls. My group, which I secretly hoped would produce geniuses out of reclusive geeks, turned up as reclusive adult losers living with their parents or dirty poseur artists and musicians. Every single person was shocked to see me with long, blond hair and no black clothing. Married, with kids, running my own event-planning business, I'd really come a long way from the punk chick with a gigantic shoulder chip.

My 20-year reunion is next summer. I'm trying to decide if (a) I'll go, (b) if I go, will I lie about my profession and/or personal status, or (c) just go and have a good time.

I think if I'd looked into a crystal ball when I was 18 to see the me of today, I would've jumped off a bridge. But, if I'd seen me at other times in my life, I might have been happy and proud. Knowing how quickly life changes, is divining the future really a valuable thing?