Crushes

You know THAT crush you had in high school?

Well, for me it was this overly cocky dweeb from high school drama.

Recently, I was able to get digital versions of VHS tapes from way back when, including of my high school plays.

I watched the one where my crush was the lead with my husband, kids, sister and nephew. We booed gleefully when he sang in his off-key voice.

My son remarked when I appeared on the screen that I was totally hot back then. It was a Back to the Future Marty’s mom moment for sure.

A comment which I was sure to include when I tagged my old crush in an Instagram story about the play. The next day, the story was seen by him and left with no reply. Still a douche.

We can tell our kids all we want not to waste time on crushes that don’t crush on you back. That their unrequited crush is not worthy of their time and energy.

But 17-year-old me wouldn’t have listened. Forty-two year old me can’t even resist tagging my high school crush in a story and feeling deflated when he doesn’t respond.

Me, happily married to the hottest husband with the best singing voice and the most wonderful kids.

Crushes and heartache are a right of passage. One with a burn as old as time.