Birthday People

Whenever someone asks me where I grew up, I hesitate. Do I mention Woodville, where I spent the first seven years of my life and met my "Best" friend, with whom I am in touch to this day? Do I mention Ripley, where we spent the next seven years, and where so much of my growing up happened? Or is it Cookstown, where I spent my high school years?

I usually mention all three, because all were a large part of who I became, and who I am as a woman and a human being.

Ripley was a small town of 450 souls when we moved there in 1967. It was a bit of an "in" community, in that many people were related to each other, and had lived there for generations. Interestingly, I discovered that I even had relatives there. One of my classmates was the son of a woman whose mother was a first cousin of my grandmother. Confusing? Sure, but reassuring. I was part of the community.

Things weren't always rosy growing up there, but I made some marvellous friends, who have made a point over the years of keeping in touch. Bev married and settled near her family home. Kathy joined the Canadian Forces and ended up in the Maritimes. Anne became a teacher and moved to Ajax. What we all had in common was that we kept in touch, one way or another, over the years.

I moved away from the community in Grade 8, but it was after the Grade 8 photo had been taken, so there I am in their grad class. I arrived in Cookstown in time to get into the Grade 8 photo there, so I am in two grad classes!

All through high school, I kept in touch with my old friends, and when Anne and I ended up at the University of Western Ontario during the same year, we reconnected and I heard all about all my old friends and classmates from Ripley.

We all went our separate ways, but a party was held for the grad class to celebrate their tenth anniversary graduation from High School. I was invited and went, even though I graduated from a different school, and by that time lived in Toronto.

I sang at weddings, and went to reunions, and was never allowed to forget that I had once been from Ripley.

Recently, reconnecting on the miracle of Facebook, I was invited to a party being held to celebrate the birthday of all who were born in 1960 from Ripley. I heard all the excitement and buzz, but was unable to attend because of a family commitment.

After the party was over, there were many Facebook postings, and I was moved by the comments made about how I was missed.

I hope to get to the next party.

Where am I from?

Definitely Ripley. It just won't let me go. And I'm grateful.