6/6/2026
"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord,
'plans to prosper you and not to harm you,
plans to give you hope and a future.'"
Jeremiah 29:11
High school reunions tend to throw some people into tailspins. Many people become excited about seeing old friends, particularly if the class was smaller, as country schools back in the day generally were. Everyone knew everyone, because the class was so small. My graduating class in 1968 was only 130 students, as I recall, but now that I think about it, there were "clicks," and we even had competing sororities. I was in one of the two most popular sororities in school, but it was based more on popularity than intelligence and personal achievement. Such things, especially in small country schools, could make those who were not "chosen" to feel like social outcasts, not "good enough" or "less than" others. So, those who were not invited to join the "elect" groups finally started their own sororities. I always thought certain prejudices were wrong even back in the day, because as the saying goes, "What would Jesus do?" This is the question in the book In His Steps by Charles Sheldon, that affected my life as a youngster, and it has remained so my entire life.
Yesterday I connected with an old friend from years prior to moving to New Mexico in 1987. I picked up one of my old journals to help me remember those days, and I saw name after name of people I can't remember. People who were obviously close to our family, but for some reason there are people and times that my memory has blocked out. Naturally when old friends get together after a period of time they share their lives. Truthfully, I hesitate to share my life at times, because I have done so many things, but it is only because of God's hand on my life. My experiences were not easily achieved, and going back in time brings up regrets and sadness. I am beginning to realize more and more how little I am really known, as if my life was not important, but every life is important, and sharing our lives, our stories, should bring us closer. However, often this is not the case.
In one episode of Highway to Heaven Jonathan and Mark are attending Mark's 35th high school reunion. Mark is ecstatic about seeing some of the old friends, remembering "glory days" as a football player. Athletes are always popular in schools at any level. As it turns out Jonathan's assignment from God was to attend Mark's reunion. Since there were some people who as yet had not responded to the invitation, part of the assignment was for Jonathan and Mark to seek out these people to encourage them to attend the reunion. So, the story line revolved around a few class friends who were reticent about attending for one reason or another. They were successful in getting those classmates to attend, but as people began to "mingle" and share their lives, they began to feel a sense of loss, of not measuring up to another's achievements, comparing themselves with others who seem to have achieved more success in their lives. To make matters worse there is always a class "gossip" who makes it her job to inform everyone else of the hardships or juicy news of others, without really sharing her own life story, or if so, relate the truth. It's as if jealousies that began back in teenage years are never resolved, so keeping up with the "dirt" in others' lives becomes a vocation for such individuals. And, it seems as if that was happening in Mark's high school reunion. In the end things worked themselves out, and thanks to Mark's intervention, the tempo picked up with the last dance. But this left Mark to wondering why do people go to such extremes to make things appear other than what they truly were or are? There's the former prom queen who is now aged, whose husband left her for a younger woman; the prom king who became an actor, once adored, but whose fame has faded, balding without his toupee, and mostly unknown by the younger generation; and the man who has become very successful and speaks humbly of his life, yet when asked about family becomes despondent, because his wife "left him." I'm not sure whether she died or ran away, but his response was one of extreme brokenness, which went unobserved by the couple asking the question. But, in each of these three lives, they were successful, and we all become older, and many lose their hair.
Mark shared with Jonathan that even he was making his football glory days into more than they actually were. When my friend and I were sharing about our children, I realized later that I hadn't shared some things, many things. I seemed to dwell on the spiritual, because truly that is what is more important. In listening to her speak of her children and grandchildren I became a bit sad, because I don't see my grandchildren. My younger son has been married twice to older women who already had children, and I adopt complete strangers as my children, so these kids were welcomed and loved. Not being able to know my great-grandchildren is the worst! But they are bathed in prayer daily,
I've had to give up a great many dreams, one of them, Youth With a Mission (YWAM) about which I have written. I attended meetings way back then, but I was married, and he was not yet a Christian so there was no way he'd be a missionary. As it turned out when he did get saved he earned his own money to take two missionary trips to the Dominican Republic to build churches, and he helped his brother in Christ earn money so he could go with my husband. Those days were priceless. Now I have only shadows of memories, but God has blessed me with many more. I was thinking about most American teenagers who go on mission trips in the summer really don't feel the call as a gift. "One experience cannot compare to a lifetime of service." Those are my words, and they are true.
To be continued...!
No comments:
Post a Comment