09/19/08 05:41 PM |
#5
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Thomas Tom Ross Still
Reunion Reflections
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Born in '45, graduated high school in '63. Now I'm almost 63 and graduated high school 45 years ago. An interesting interplay of numbers. Our upcoming reunion for the Paducah Tilghman graduating class of 1963 has been tumbling around in my mind for a few weeks now, polishing up random thoughts until they're shiny, gradually wearing away at rough edges until they are smooth.
I think of my classmates and what they have experienced over these past 45 years. I have all but lost touch with most of them, indeed some I barely knew even back in high school. But strangely enough we are all still connected. We shared a common experience that unites us even after all of these years. We have written vastly different stories on our slates, but all of those stories had the same beginning. I find that I am interested in all of their lives, because their stories and mine are so closely intertwined.
When I think of Paducah, I think of days of possibilities limited only by the extent of your imagination. As a very young boy I remember propping up a cardboard box with a twig, and tying on a string to the twig so we could catch a bird. We'd leave a trail of breadcrumbs leading to the box, and then just wait. That anticipation, that excitement was so pure and so innocent. We'd always release the bird right away, and then reset the trap. Simple pleasures, simple thrills. Later, in high school, I remember endless loops through the Dairy Queen, down Broadway, and up Jefferson. A parade we entered eagerly, waiting anxiously to see people that we saw every day in the halls of Paducah Tilghman, and talking endlessly with those in the car. Simple pleasures, simple thrills.
We've all lived surely imperfect lives, but we've done the best we can. Our lives have been defined by a long, uneven string of happiness and successes, sadness and disappointments. There are many moments we are proud of, many accomplishments, both big and small, that are significant to us. We have sons and daughters and grandchildren, husbands, wives, ex-husbands, ex-wives, and lovers as milestones that mark our progress through life. Newspaper clippings and handwritten letters and old photos chronicle our days. Each of our paths has been unique. Yet there exists this common bond, this extended family, that has survived over the years.
Earlier reunions may have revealed a touch of competition, and been preceded by losing weight, toning up, and rehearsing monologues about how successful we have been. We wanted to prove to all, even ourselves, that our lives were going well. But now, the prospect of a reunion is more relaxed, more retrospective. Superficiality gives way to honesty, as we look forward to sharing a life well lived.
As individuals some of us find ourselves scattered around the country, living out our lives in environments that differ dramatically from our hometown. Others have lived their whole lives in and around Paducah. But regardless of where we lived our lives, how we lived our lives is remarkably similar. Truth be told, no matter what the background, the essentials of our lives, the parts that are most important, are the same.
Pieces of our memories have been chipped away by time. Our 227 graduates have been depleted by 34 as age and illness have taken their toll. And each passing reminds us of our own mortality. As we decide whether to make our way to Paducah for the 45th reunion, we consider how many of us will not be there for the 50th, a mere five years down the road.
The upcoming reunion is a chance to reconnect with friends of our youth. There will undoubtedly be countless "Do you remember when's" exchanged, as we collectively relive those days together. But this reunion is more than that. It's also a chance to reflect, to put our lives in context. It's a chance to take a step back and examine these past 45 years. A chance to set the course for the upcoming years, however many there may be.
So from California to South Carolina, from Dallas to Colorado Springs, from Florida to Pennsylvania we face towards Paducah and begin the trip back in time. We will leave our lives behind for a weekend, and travel back to where it all started. As we think back and recall the fresh faces of 1963, we may well wonder, "Who are all these old people congregated here?" But shining out from those worn faces, you can still detect the excitement and promise of days gone by.
Our hopes and dreams have led us along many different paths. But for this one weekend, our memories, like a trail of breadcrumbs, lead us back to the Paducah of our youth.
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