Everybody Likes Me!!?

I came upon a thought or discovery today while I was walking my 2 miles at lunch time. I try to go to this lake by my work and walk 2-3 miles during my lunch hour a few times each week. It is a great way to escape the office and get some exercise. Well, how does this tie into the title of my posting? It all started back in middle school, to the best of my memory, that I thought and truly believed, everybody liked me. I was just a very happy-go-lucky person, thought the best of people, believed EVERYONE and since I liked EVERYONE, I thought....and believed it was reciprocated. This went well into high school (I have vivid memories of this being so in high school) and in college. It has since flowed through into my work world. Well, when I went back to my 25th High School reunion I was soooo excited. I just KNEW they would all be just as excited to see me. So I took my name tag off, just positive that they would all remember me, and I very excitedly entered into the room where the pre-reunion was the night before. It was the third person I encounterd, no wait, the third person I hugged (Cindy Jordan....we had been in school together since 3rd grade) and I said, "HI, CINDY!" (if I was a dog, my tail up to my hips would have been wagging) and waited for the same response. It was the same as the first two people, "hi, and who are you, and where is your name tag?" Of course I am not easily discouraged so I said, "HA, I don't need one because I know YOU know ME!". I quickly discovered that was not the case. So now, back to the lake. I have been walking there for about a year off and on. I take my CD player with me with some earplugs. You know the big round thing? Well, many, many people are always smiling at me. So I think, yes....Everybody Likes Me. I have been so pleased at the lake with this great old feeling.....until this Christmas I got an iPod. The last week I have not received any smiles. The discovery today was, is it because they were smiling/laughing(?) at me because I had a huge, bulky CD player!!!! Oh, it hurt, I can't deny that. But I had to smile at myself because, well, that is just the way I am. Not narcissistic or anything like that, just simple hearted (not minded but hearted). But wait, the second lap into my walk, someone smiled at me.....it was coming back,that old wonderful feeling that , YES, THEY LIKE ME!!!"....or was it because I was singing along with my new pink iPod....did they hear me singing that great song with Elton John,.....rolling like thunder under the covers.....hmmmm......for the sake of my happiness (which directly affects others happiness) I will BELIEVE.....THEY LIKE ME!!!! EVERYBODY LIKES ME!!!