I learned yesterday that a post of mine from over 2.5 years ago justifiably caused offense to some former Ilion High School classmates of mine. While the issue has long since passed, I feel great need to make amends where feasible.
The post (which I deleted yesterday) took issue with the plans organizers had laid out for our 10 year high school reunion. I was living in Irvine, CA at the time and Michelle was expecting our second child. My circumstances were such that I was not going to be able to attend the reunion, though I still felt stirrings to try to do so to reconnect. However, after learning about the format for the reunion -- the major event of which was a catered BBQ at a classmates' home -- I responded critically on this blog.
In what amounted to only a small part of my foolishness, I took no account for how my comments were likely to affect those with a vested interest in the reunion [i.e., the organizers]. Nope, in my small-mindedness I had not considered that my public posting, with a search involving a few key words in the post, would reach far beyond my family and a few of my friends.
I learned for the first time yesterday that those comments posted long ago did get back to many involved in the reunion plans, and that several of them responded in kind on the blog [which I also had not seen until visiting yesterday]. One of the less profane, yet biting comments from a former classmate referred to me as a "pretentious, egotistical jerk."
What has stung is that such criticism of me seems justifiable.
I do not know to what extent this belated apology will ever reach those whom I foolishly offended now years ago. Nor am I confident that those people would even care at this point. But for what's it worth, I am very sorry. The post and criticism were uncalled for. This apology has been delayed only because it was not until yesterday that my foolishness was brought to my attention.
While I may not have been mature enough then to recognize that the value of a reunion lies more in the chance to reconnect than in the venue or format, I recognize that now. My ill-advised comments revealed my own shortcomings far more than any shortcomings in the efforts of those who organized the reunion.
Again, I am very sorry.
Aaron
