At my high school, we received our annual yearbooks the fall following each school year. So, I didn’t get my hands on the book that commemorated my freshman year of high school until the fall of my sophomore year. That was annoying in a pre-Facebook era, when we were anxious to see who was featured on the most pages and which embarrassing photos made it to print.
But it could also prove awkward when deciding what – and how much – to write when signing certain people’s books. After all, the summer was long. Three months was plenty of time to fight with your best friend, break up with your boyfriend, fall in love with a new friend or boyfriend, or completely forget how awesomely you bonded with your chem lab partner.
I’ll be the first to admit that my high school years – while certainly full of the typical adolescent angst – were in many ways blessed. I had (for the most part) the same group of great friends throughout all four years, and my now-husband was my only boyfriend. But that didn’t stop me from experiencing – or, in some cases, creating – drama. Oh, no, it didn’t.
For several years, starting in junior high and ending much later than I want to admit, I had a crush on a certain boy in my class. And in our freshman year, we sat next to each other in one of our classes and developed a friendship.
[Of course it was a friendship. I was definitely the girl who was considered a friend.]
We were pretty close. Or, at least, I thought we were. So when it came time to sign yearbooks the next fall, I took his book to class with me. Because I needed more time for signing than the three minutes between bells allowed.
A couple hours later, we met up to return each other’s books. Immediately, I flipped through my already-worn pages to find what he’d written. As I saw the two lines that likely included the words “stay cool” or “You’re so smart…and a great friend,” my heart sank.
I would have given my Dean Cain locker poster to take back what I’d done. Because I had covered an ENTIRE PAGE in my friend’s book.
Ack! I knew the rules. Entire pages were reserved for best friends and actual girlfriends. The girl you exchanged notes with in English class but had no real interest in dating? She had a four-line limit and should really keep it the margins of the less-important pages. You know, perhaps the pages dedicated to French Club or future business leaders? But definitely not the one blank page inside the back cover.
So embarrassing.
But, honestly, not so unusual for me. I have always tended to fall hard and fast for a lot of things – boys, friends, TV shows, new curtains – and inevitably find myself on the “feels more deeply” side of things. I can’t help it, though. I’m a passionate person. It’s just the way God made me.
For more about the way God made me, check out this month’s post at (in)courage.
Wow, I can relate on so many levels! Not just with the Dean Cain locker poster (swoon; I actually saw him in person once!), but with the “have always tended to fall hard and fast for a lot of things – boys, friends, TV shows, new curtains” part. I’ve spent years both apologizing for that and trying to “buck up” (because, for me, that passionate-ness led to a tendency to cry. frequently). Your post is a great reminder that while I certainly don’t need to show that side of me to *everyone*, that I don’t need to change who I am underneath – that’s how God intended me, too.
Helen, I am a cryer, too! But I think you are absolutely right about not showing all our cards to everyone but not trying to change who God made us either. Good word.
Okay, so all I can think is, “what did you write???” Too bad you didn’t photocopy it so you could show us! :-D
Ha! Yeah. Too bad I wasn’t forward thinking enough to do that. (Seriously…I think I’d probably DIE if I actually read it today.)
I can relate. So much.
I call myself a woman of extremes.
I once wrote a ten page letter to a boy (front and back) whom I met at camp. Don’t know that he ever wrote back.
Ten pages? Really?! That is AWESOME. I can’t believe he didn’t write back! :)
I love this post. It takes me right back to those yearbook days….all those unspoken but fully understood rules about the reserved blank pages, stressing over what to write in the yearbook of your crush, trying to come up with SOMEthing to say to the people you didn’t know very well. And the part about falling hard…I can relate to that, too. Nice to make your virtual acquaintance….I’ve just subsribed to your blog. :)
Jennifer
Jennifer, thank you for stopping by and subscribing! It’s nice to meet you!