High School

High school was a million years ago, or so it seems. At the same time it seems like just yesterday. It has really seemed far away and close in the last 36 hours. One of my high school friends was killed in a car accident yesterday morning on her way to work. Katie was the daughter of our high school band director (which as much as I choose not to mention it, yes I was in color guard and a part of the band). Katie was a year older than me in school. We were part of the same group through most of high school, yet we were never the best of friends. I feel so sad about her death, the impact on her parents and brother and on her two little girls, Lexie and Lindsay, who will live their lives without their mom.

The news broke via facebook, as so many things in this day and age do, around 10:15 when I saw a friend had posted on Katie's dad's wall. I just had a feeling that something had happened to her, which was confirmed a few minutes later. Immediately I messaged our group of girl friends, some of which, though friends on facebook, I haven't talked to in years. In the hours after finding out about this I talked to so many friends, via facebook, text and on the phone, that I have not talked to in years. I posted this as my status yesterday:

It is days like today that make you remember who you used to be; that make you remember the people that used to be your entire world; it is sad that it sometimes takes a tragedy and the loss of one of those people to truly remember how much they meant to you.


It is completely true. No matter where we all are now my high school friends were some of the most influential in me becoming who I am today. It is sad that we lose touch, and sometimes it is by circumstance and sometimes it is by choice. Whatever the reason is it is at these moments that we really think about all those long lost friends.
 
As sad as it is to say I am looking forward to seeing everyone on Wednesday at the funeral. I wish it was under different circumstances, but let's be honest: how many times have we all said "let's get together for a mini reunion" and how many times have we actually done it?
 
My favorite Katie memory:
My freshman year of high school, last day of school, my group of friends (all older than me) went to the lake for the day. I wanted to go and my mom took me out there...and wouldn't leave! She didn't trust us because there were adults there. I remember Katie and our friend Lisa explaining that part of them were 18, wasn't that adult enough??? My mom, of course, didn't buy it. I have a scrapbook page (the only one I've ever done!) from this day somewhere at my parents house and unfortunately don't have any of the photos at my house (or any others of just Katie and I), so I don't have anything to post of her (what I do have of her my scanner isn't working). I will leave you with two pictures of my two very best friends in the world, thankfully we still talk and see each other on a regular basis as well as a picture from Band Banquet senior year.
 
 

 
 

 
In summary, please keep the Stevenson family in your prayers and call your high school friends and really get together with them...they made you who you are today!