Monday, December 22, 2008

High School Parties

So, I had the privileged opportunity of chaperoning my cousin Victoria's sweet sixteen birthday party. Her parents hosted a surprise party for her at the Women's Club downtown and asked if a few of us would chaperone. I did not commit to anything because I wasn't sure how my ankle would be feeling, but luckily I got the chance to attend.

After big family dinner at Tidewater, I went to Murads with Josh and Alex, some old friends from high school. This was great because I don't hardly ever see these guys and they were two of my closest guy friends who I did Young Life with. Danielle picked me up from Murads (this cast has sidelined me from driving) and took me back to Victoria's party.

Now, I am no stranger to chaperoning. I have chaperoned many dances at Mariemont HS, where I lead Young Life, but we typically request to be in charge of punch and cookies upstairs, rather than staged in the cafeteria where the actual dancing is going on. This is for two reasons: 1. I do not want to see how high school kids dance.
2. I do not want to be repsonsible for telling them not to dance like that.
So, tonight was a bit of a shocker, despite my chaperoning experience. Danielle warned me in the car, but no amount of words could prepare me for what I had not seen since being a part of in high school.

So, I am being dramatic, but I laughed more tonight than I have all break. Some of the kids in Victoria's class are kids I used to babysit for...making this even more embarrassing/awkward, but luckily the lights were pretty low. Danielle, Rebecca, Alex and I sat at a table and could not believe the uninhibitedness of these high schoolers. There were numerous couples spread around the room kissing and touching while all of their closest friends were not 15 feet away. No qualms! But this wasn't even the most outrageous part. The dancing was just......gosh there isn't even an adjective that exists that would fairly descibe it. We died laughing though. Not GREAT chaperones. I am embarrassed to know that I danced like that one day...most recently my senior prom, yet proud that I have outgrown the desire. I won't go in to the gory details, but I will tell you that I even got to see my brother pull a couple moves on the dance floor. Shame-free. And that, my friends, was priceless.

Ah, those were the days. It was sad seeing some of the kids who just roamed the outskirts. I get really affected by seeing those kids, yet looking back on it now realize that they were the lucky ones not to be swept up in to something so unwholesome and demeaning. I sound like a mom. Gosh I knew how they felt in middle school. yuck. It is horrible just to think about. But, Matt talked in church today about how God works, even through misfits. That was totally me in middle school...a misfit...and I am so thankful now for it. It shaped who I became friends with and what I was involved in then, which had a huge effect on the choices I made in high school, and now college.

Mary and Joseph = total misfits, but because they were obedient and available, look what God was able to do.

Hm... don't know how I got from grinding to this, but.....who cares? Night. :)

1 comment:

Grandpa said...

I love reading your blog!