"Hey Friend," or Projection Board?

Warriors of Chess-Sexy Mama

Okay so, I ran into an old friend the other day, and we went through the regular ritual of chatting about the past then exchanging phone numbers. Everything seemed to go well, so after a few days of being busy, I had a free day so I decided to call and play “catch up” with my old buddy.

Upon the first words or thoughts of our conversation, I couldn’t help but feel like I was at a high school reunion. You know the kind where the “loser,” or not so popular guy or gal in school has returned only to prove to their former classmates and bullies how successful they are now? Or what about the already popular people whose only purpose for showing up to show their former classmates that they’re even more popular or successful than before?

I guess that’s why I skipped my high school reunion. It’s never about the “good ol memories,” or lessons learned, it’s always about proving your success. And, what is success anyway? Nowadays everyone seems to bring up success in terms of money, big houses, fancy cars, marriage, family and prestigious career. But isn’t success following your dreams? Isn’t success making money to do what you love? Isn’t success being married to the “right” partner and starting a family? Isn’t success raising moral children? Isn’t success having the “right” house and the perfect car for you? It is to me, anyway. Real success can’t be measured by what you see, it’s the story behind those things that measures true success so why do people continue to use those things to show how successful they are?

All this got me to thinking, we couldn’t wait to get out of high school in order to move on. So, why does life still feel like one big ol high school? Once out of high school, why do people continue to feel a need to constantly prove themselves? After high school, why do people feel the need to still fit in? After high school, why do people still bully other people? After high school, why do people still feel a need to “measure up?” And after high school, why can’t run ins with old friends still feel like the good ol bonding days of high school?