Rejection, reclaimed, 4 decades later

I had an early experience of rejection: in 6th grade, when I asked him to be my boyfriend, Jeff Rink said "No Way."
It cut so deep, as those early experiences can.
I made up so many stories about how I was not datable, not attractive, no one would want what I had.
And those stories just ran under the radar for years.
One of the great benefits of my job as a sex and relationship educator is that I get to craft curriculum that supports change.
Two weeks ago, I was writing about rejection, I had a realization.
I needed to find and write to Jeff.
Here's what I wrote:
You and I went to Noble Elementary together back in the day.
I'm writing today because I'm currently prepping a class on confidence, which entails engaging the rejections narratives we all have, that get set early in life.
One of the things I'm teaching is that rejection is rarely personal, even though it feels that way. I'm encouraging my students to build the muscle of rejection resilience, so that they can ask for what they want and live good, fulfilled lives.
So here's where you come in. Don't know if you remember or not, but in 6th grade I asked you to "go" with me. You said no way. It was a big deal for my kid heart at the time.
But I never asked you why you said no. And I made up all kinds of stories about it in my head. So, I'm curious if there's anything you remember that you'd be willing to share, or any insight you have.
I know it's a strange (and still weirdly vulnerable) request, but it feels in service to my students, and my own healing.
As I pushed "send" on that email, my hands were sweating and I was shaking!
I was confronting someone about something that had happened 38 years ago, and I was freaking out.
However, once I sent the message, something magical happened.
I started laughing.
I felt a huge rush of energy.
It felt like I took back a huge piece of my power.
It was marvelous, and then in the hustle of life, I forgot all about it.
Until.
Last Friday, I opened my email and saw....
Jeff had written back!
Same deal with the sweaty palms as I opened that email.
And you know what? It was AWESOME!
Here's what he wrote:
I am truly so sorry for the situation that occurred between us back in 6th grade… you said it perfectly below in that rejection is rarely personal but I do understand that it feels that way.
As for us, I honestly don’t remember much about our particular situation in 6th grade except for a critical fact and that is my saying “no way” actually had nothing to do with you. Rather, at that age, I was still immature and insecure and thought dating was strange and something to avoid so that I wouldn’t be embarrassed.
This had nothing to do with you personally but rather was my own immaturity which I of course grew out of and discovered how wonderful indeed intimacy is.
However, I clearly didn’t express this to you back in 6th grade and I very much apologize for how I handled the situation at the time which believe me, just scared me because of my insecurities at the time.
Jeff's rejection wasn't about me at all!
I'm still integrating this information, because that old story runs SO deep, and will take a minute to rewrite.
So here's my question to you:
Who would you write that email to?
What cut is still inside your heart that you cling to?
And are you ready to update those old stories so you can have the intimacy you long for?