High School Reunion

Yesterday evening, the Vidor High School class of ‘73 gathered to celebrate our 50th Class Reunion, and what a memorable evening it was! A bit surreal, but an incredibly memorable evening. The venue was lovely, the food was great and the music took me back to those blithe days of yore. A big thanks to the planning committee who worked so hard behind the scenes. They did an outstanding job! And that opening prayer by fellow classmate Tracy Bryan. Just wow. His words were perfect for the occasion, and they touched my heart.

Admittedly, I was grateful for name tags. While some of my classmates looked much the same, others left me scratching my head and wondering who. I’m sure they wondered the same about me. Fifty years is a mighty long time, and it changes everything about everything.

For me, the "funnest" part of the evening was trying to sing our class song, "Lean On Me," which, for 50 years, I have thought was "You've Got A Friend." Go, me!

Hands down, the most memorable and moving experience of the evening was seeing the faces of 90-plus classmates who are no longer with us. Some have been gone for years, and others not that long. Studying each of the framed senior portraits, sitting atop three large tables, I was reminded in a very personal way that life is fragile and death is sure.

I was also reminded that whatever we were in high school doesn’t matter tonight. If we were smart, it doesn’t matter. If we were popular, it doesn’t matter. If we were pretty, it doesn’t matter. If we were athletic, it doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters tonight is what we did after moving the tassel—the choices we made, the roads we traveled, the priorities we set. That is all that matters tonight. Not what we used to be, but what we have become. My sincere prayer is that my life has touched other lives in meaningful ways.

To any of my classmates reading this, I had such fun celebrating with you last night. You have been a tangible part of my journey, and I pray God’s richest blessings upon each of you as you travel along.