This has been a pivotal year for me. This year is my 20 year high school reunion. Yes, its been 20 years since I've roamed the halls of teenage-dom, doing everything I could to fit in and avoid looking like the total nerd. This task proved difficult seeing as I went to three high schools in four years.
My first school was not far from a beach town in southern California, what they called at the time "The Melting Pot". There was no room for religious bias or racial favoritism. We were a mish-mash of all skin colors, all beliefs, all backgrounds. Luckily I managed to stay there long enough during my elementary, middle school, and freshman year to learn the lingo, the moves, the "do's" and "do nots" of how to behave. Everything was "RAD" or if something was nasty it "gagged" me.
Then came Idaho the lessons of trying to fit in started all over again. Having been raise of no religion but recruited in my preteen days into Christianity, lets just say my Jesus lingo didn't fit so well with Joseph Smith crowd. I seemed to have a neon sign on my forehead that invited enlightenment from classmates who were practicing to go on their future missions. Since it their religious prodding fell on deaf ears many adopted the "Two Books of Mormon" rule, or in my case "Twenty Books of Mormon" rule and kept their distance. I left Idaho with making a handful friends, the small pod of non-LDSers.
Junior year, I found myself in Oklahoma and thankful I no longer had to find new ways to be cool within the Latter Day Saints community. I had high hopes that maybe in the Bible belt, I might find myself in the "in" crowd. Although I did fair a bit better among the Southern Baptists, Jesus lingo still intact, I felt as I had been whisked back in time. Here it was 1990, and my lily white complexion seemed to be the thing that defined me this time. While the south had certainly advance beyond the days of the Civil War there still felt as if there was an impregnable wall I could not pass. There were those like me who were born with blinding snow white skin that classmates would have to wear sunglasses while passing. There were also those I used to think (and still do) were lucky because they never lost their golden and brown suntans. I disliked the obvious "us" and "them" behavior on both sides of divide. Eventually I left Oklahoma, again walking away with a handful of friendships.
After 4 years and three high schools, I had enough of the blatant division among my communities I had lived in. I moved back to southern California where I landed myself a job as a Disney Character. I spent 4 years in that one magical place working with diversity in its finest form. Not only did I meet and greet with people from all walks of life, religions, races, family structures, and preferences but I worked and lived among them day in and day out. Aside from the genuine Disney grin, they fit no mold society could place on them. They were unique, beautiful just as they were. They became my extended family.
It's incredible to me how Disney represents itself as a "family theme park" but how few people know how depth the thread of truth that runs deep in that representation. The family behind the Disney scenes truly loved one another, respecting their unique differences and beliefs, finding ways to live in harmony with one another...and really...it was effortless. It was a small world, sheltered by the rules of status, race, and religion, that created a community of friends to become family.
My high school 20 year reunions came and went. I did not attend any of the three high school get-togethers. Truthfully, I didn't think much of it. But this weekend, my Disney family gathered for a one of a kind reunion. I had every intention of going but circumstances did not allow it this time. As the pictures posted, and the Facebook Reunion page comments went up, a sadness grew in my heart. I missed the event that brought my Disney family from all parts of the world together to rekindle the love, affection, and camaraderie we have for one another.
However, my heart is warmed by the thoughts that no matter the distance or years that separate my furry friends and I, this world is much smaller than it appears and my that Disney family is just a magic carpet ride (or a Boeing 747) away.
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