Reunions

          Reunions can be interesting events.  If you were active in your school and class it can be fun to renew friendships with those with whom you spent many hours with years ago.  Of course you should be prepared for changed looks, forgotten names and both sad and happy stories.  And you'll be surprised how much older your friends look when you haven't changed at all.

          My wife has never attended any of her high school reunions because she never felt close to those in her class.  I have attended one of my college reunions and it was very interesting, mostly because members of our basketball team were there and we had spent many hours together during our four years in college.

           I've also attended all of my high school reunions and have generally enjoyed them.  I was class president for my junior and senior years and, as a result, was very involved with the class.  Now I have become just the official "prayer" for the meals.  But that is fine since it gives me a chance to share my faith through my prayer.

          As we've gotten older, members of our class have decided that we should meet more often than the usual 5 and 10 year gatherings.  So for the past three years we have had "birthday celebration" reunions at a location in Lititz.  Usually we have 30-40 show up out of a class which I think graduated about 88 back in 1959.

          This week we celebrated our 77th birthdays with a picnic type gathering in a church in Lititz.  We had planned to meet in the Lititz Springs Park, but recent flooding there forced us to move to the church. We shared memories and food and took pictures. We all seemed older and slower - where have all the years gone?  I actually started a mini-web page for the class (fbfawana.com/1959.html) to share with those who live too far away to come.  Next year is our 60th reunion so we are planning something bigger - and probably more expensive - the first week in June to celebrate.

          But reunions can have some interesting and unexpected outcomes.  Here is a story about one reunion that was shared at our recent gathering.

          At the 60th high school reunion he was a widower and she was a widow.  They had known each other for a number of years, having been high school classmates and having attended class reunions in the past, without fail.

          At this reunion the widower and the widow made a foursome with two other singles.  They had a wonderful evening, their spirits high, with the widower throwing admiring glances across the table ... and the widow smiling coyly back at him.  Finally during one dance, he worked up his courage to ask her, "Will you marry me?"  After about six seconds of careful consideration, she answered, "Yes ... yes!!!"  Needless to say, the evening ended on a happy note for the widower.

          However, the next morning he was troubled.  Did she say yes or did she say no?  He couldn't remember.  Try as he would, he just could not recall.  He went over and over the conversation of the previous evening, but his mind was a blank.  He remembered asking the question, but for the life of him could not recall he response.

          With fear and trepidation, he picked up the phone and called her.  First, he explained that he couldn't remember as well as he used to.  Then he reviewed the past evening.  As he gained a little more courage, he then inquired of her, "When I asked if you would marry me, did you say yes or did you say no?"  

         "Why you silly man", she replied, "I said yes.  Yes I will!  And I mean it with all my heart!"

         The widower was delighted.  He felt his heart skip a beat.  Then she continued.  "And I'm so glad you called, because I couldn't remember who asked me."

         So be very careful as you get older and attend reunions.  Memories can begin to fail and you better guard what you do and say.