My 30 year high school reunion is rapidly approaching. As reunions tend to do, I get nostalgic for my JJ high school days and triggers thoughts about the good and bad times that occurred during that time in my life.Inevitably, while thinking about those classmates, the wild and crazy stuff we did and the fact our teachers and counselors considered us a special class, you start comparing yourself to those classmates. That has an even more heightened intensity in my case because I was in a gifted and talented magnet program at my high school alma mater.
Sometimes when I compare my life with some of my HS classmates there are some days when I feel at times that compared to them, I'm a failure even though I graduated with honors back in 1980.
I have one classmate who is vice president of the Houston Urban League and had a Sunday morning talk show on Majic102 FM. I have several lawyers in my class, one classmate who was a Harris County assistant DA, a minister, several teachers, two who have run for Houston City Council and unfortunately lost, and one who currently sits on the Texas State Board of Education.
Many of them are parents, and a few are sadly are no longer on the planet with us. Some look as good as they did when we walked off JJ's campus 30 years ago, while others of us have radically changed.But when I start beating myself up because I haven't reached some of the goals I dreamed about in terms of one day sitting either in the Texas state legislature or the Houston City Council, the game plan I had for getting there took some detours or hit unexpected snags, I start taking inventory of my blessings,
I'll bet that most of my classmates haven't lobbied their congressmembers or senators, city council members and state legislators. I'll presume that many haven't had the opportunity to speak in front of college classes and be considered an authority on trans issues. I'd be willing to bet when I walk into next Friday's reception that I'll be the only IFGE Trinity Award winner in the room and one of the few people there who are considered historical figures or a national leader in a civil rights movement.
Oh yeah, and I'll probably be one of the few people running around my reunion that founded and authors an award winning blog with an international readership. .
When you count your blessings and stop trying to compare yourselves to others, you'll discover that over time you're doing a lot better than you think you are and you're a little more successful than you thought you were.
So yeah, looking forward to seeing my classmates at our reunion. I'm also going to enjoy it because as far as I'm aware of, I'm not in the running for the 'Most Changed Award'.
