Widening the Circle from your Past – Pasadena High School Example

I have noticed that people who are rekindling high school and college relationships tend to focus on people who were in their graduating class.  I graduated from Pasadena High School in 1966, and up until recently stayed in touch primarily with people from the Class of ‘66.  But thanks to Facebook I have begun to widen my circle of connections with classes that graduated before and after me.  When I was in high school, the vast majority of my friends were in my same year.  People below seemed way too young, and people above were virtually unapproachable.  One year seemed like an eternity back then, but now it is not significant at all.  In fact, I am enjoying connecting with people in other classes to add to my perspective.   I have begun to question the wisdom of class reunions that are limited to one graduating year.  Why not expand the circle to include five years?  We may or may not have much in common with people who are older or younger, but you never know how expanding the circle can add to the richness of your life.  You can also learn more about things that were beyond your interest.  By extending your reach to other age groups, you can broaden your experience, both of the present, but also the future.  Pasadena High School circa 1966 is an especially interesting example, because our graduating classes were well over 1,000.  Take a leap and reach out to someone you didn’t know or only knew peripherally.  You might find some real treasures.