To Go, or not To Go...

I received an invitation to my 20th high school reunion which normally wouldn’t be a problem but for me it is. Being gay in high school made me the target of a lot of bullying and in spite of having a circle of friends my high school experience wasn’t the best. I’ve never been to one and I admit I’m curious to attend but I don’t think I can handle a replay of the nasty.

When the 38-year-old you looks back at your 18-year-old self, I’m sure you see the growth and maturation you’ve achieved. A lot can happen in twenty years- you’re proof of that and chances your classmates are proof of that too. If you give them a chance, I’m sure they will be civil- at the very least. If you give them a chance and go into it open to accepting people in the now as opposed to the past, you might just walk out with a few new friends. It’s worth the go.

My Ex and I don’t have a friendship of any kind as our breakup was pretty nasty. His dad died, which really hit me hard as I thought the world of him (as he did of me). My Ex emailed me and invited me to the memorial service. As much as I adored him, the idea of seeing all those other people from my “past life” leaves a pit of disgust in my stomach. How do I get out of this?

A short and simple return email stating your condolences will do the trick. Tell him that you won’t be able to attend but that you made a donation in his name to a charity he loved. You don’t need to attend a memorial service in order to remember and honor the departed.

My Ex and I ended our romantic relationship five years ago, but we have remained close friends. He’s getting married and he invited me to the wedding. His fiancee is 100% on board and hopes I can make it. I’d like to go to show my support but I think most of the people there will think it’s weird.

The only people you should be thinking about would be the wedding couple, yourself and your date. If anyone raises an eyebrow it’s their problem. They want you there and you want to show support so attending the wedding seems like a no-brainer… all you need to do is buy a super great gift from you and your hot date!