Dear Grandkids,
I took a walk down memory lane yesterday. I pulled out my high school yearbook from my senior year (1976) and looked through all the pictures and read most of the things that were written to me. Here are a few of the things things that I discovered:
- Evidently I didn’t make a great first impression on people – several people didn’t like me at first, but then when they got to know me they loved me.
- My eyes and my smile must have been 2 of my good features.
- I was thought of as a good athlete and a good student.
- Several people that signed my yearbook I have absolutely no recollection of
- In my mind, all of the people in that book still look the way that they did 44 years ago. As do I.
As I looked at the pictures of all the people I graduated with, I began wondering about their stories – and what tales they would tell about the almost last half century. What did they do with their lives? Here is a short list of just some of the people I know about – there are lots of people that I don’t know about. Our graduating class included:
A Navy Seal, a college professor, a college administrator, a college football player, a Business Development Director for DisneyWorld, doctors, dentists, lawyers, sales executives. pastors, entrepreneurs, a novelist, a sports management consultant, teachers, a high school principal, the first African American woman to graduate from the Naval Academy, an Airline pilot, stay-at-home-moms, an interior decorator, career military, accountants, bankers, etc.
We were an accomplished bunch. And as impressed as I am, if they were telling me their stories what I would really want to know would be questions like these:
Did they experience joy in their lives?
Do they even now live with contentment and satisfaction?
Did their jobs help them do what God created them to do?
Are they leaving a legacy that makes their heart glad?
As they look back on their life do they smile?
So many faces stared back at me as I flipped the pages of my yearbook. So many stories I would love to hear. But what I am looking forward to is watching your stories unfold and being a part of helping to write them. Now is a good time to begin asking the right questions so that 44 years from now you can re-read the story of your life… and smile.
Can you pick me out in this picture?
Never forget that you are very loved!
Pop Pop