“Once You Pass Its Borders You Can Never Return Again.” Maybe..Just Maybe.....

One of my father’s favorite stories growing up was the one time he went back to his old high school gym years after graduating. He said to me “It was soooo much smaller than I remember it, I guess its true!”, “what is true dad, I asked?”, He remarked “Once you pass its borders you can never return again."(Credit to Henrietta Fine).   

50 Years of  M-E Football

Against his conventional wisdom and protective caution (God rest his soul), I did venture back down that road these last two months re-visiting Maine-Endwell High School in Upstate New York. After 50 years of football teams (My team was somewhere between "Ozzie & Harriet" and "Lost in Space"), the high school football alumni organized a mini "Woodstock" reunion of all 5 decades. "Spartans" came home, with their shields, from every corner of the USA and beyond, quite a site!

2010 M-E Spartans

This "happening" took off as it was open to all the ex players, coaches, teachers, volunteers, cheerleaders, classmates, and current programs. This huge turnout even surprised all the organizers who graciously scrambled to accommodate all the last minute attendees. What a great job they did for all of us, a wonderful gift to be remembered forever!

2010  Bloomsburg

This last week, my college football teammates (NCAA Divsion 2 Bloomsburg University in Pennsylvania) also had a reunion and I went back. Of note was the fact that I never had been back to either my high school or college since I left decades ago. My experiences seem to mirror much of what I’ve heard from contemporary friends who have recently done the same. If you ever get the chance to return and reconnect you might have a similar “closure”. Some very positive life "take aways" I experienced were:

BFF

*The neighborhood friends you grew up with are still the same kindred spirits they were when you all got in trouble for soaping windows on that distant Halloween night so long ago. Remember, there were only 3 television channels to choose from at home. Keep them all close, they are a large part of who you are now!

'76 Spartans 33 Years Later

*Your high school and college football teammates have changed physically and gone in all life’s many directions (albeit, mine looked much better than I). Look deep into their eyes and listen carefully to their voices, they are still the same warriors you would gladly share a fox hole with today.



*You are forever part of a special brother/sisterhood that spans the decades, a unique club for all the ages, go back and visit your home town. This is a once in a lifetime rite of passage you should cross for your own peace of mind..

Jahri Got His Ring!

*"It’s not Kansas anymore Dorothy”, the players now are bigger, faster, and better than I remember we were. The stadiums are much larger and spectacular, and more "Huskie" athletes are making it to the NFL.  Yet today's players do look sooooo young when you see them up close and personal.

*"Yes", my old teammate "Nags" said to me, "but we were all that young back in the day; that is ours to keep private forever between friends, shhhh!"  "There is always a young man inside, never forget and keep the fire alive!"

"Our House"

*That old campus house we all rented and lived in together does look a lot smaller, but all those memories and ghosts are still there, bigger and better……. Seems like yesterday. Go take a look and a picture, reset your memory...............have fun!

*At times you all revert back to your younger “roles” and "personalities" but no worry, its fun and lots of laughs!

M-E Coaches Came Back

M-E Coaches Then

*Your early teachers and coaches do look and sound the same as they always did. You finally will get to see these great leaders as the people they have always been, now as an adult.  

Respect and hugs were everywhere from their former players and students. This is worth the trip in itself to thank those who were the early mentors for our life’s journey! You will learn a lot about yourself you never knew. They were always with us every step of the way!

*In summary, go back "home" at least once in the next few years, you will bring closure to your life's questions and gain a bit more perspective in what we are all doing on this planet. Isn’t it about time you reset the “committee" in your head's view of your past? Maybe you and I can never return to that charming time again, but you will enjoy the people from your youth.  Your friends have never changed and are still good to their core, with the same roots we all came from!

The people, friends, and families you knew are everything about this trip back in time. Embrace them, cherish them, remember them, you will be much happier for connecting after all these years.

Dad in 1942

*Perhaps my dad was opening the door to this moment later in my life (or yours) to look back, but with the realistic expectations one needs to see through the "looking glass." 

My friendly advice is to "Roll with it", go back to one of your reunions, you will be glad you did! See for yourself .......maybe you will be a better human being for it, I certainly am!