Friday, September 11, 2009

Spirit of 1979

Thirty years ago we looked forward to everything life offered.
We were young and ready to challenge the world
Life was easy, we felt immortal and full of energy
But time and life moved on and we all had to face its realities
Sometime harsh, sometimes joyous
We felt the elation of children, grandchildren and careers
We forever said goodbye to parents, brothers, sisters, friends
We found love, we lost love, we found love again
Time has not always been kind to our bodies
Sickness, fatigue, and weariness have become more persistent companions
Some of us have even stared directly into the face of death
Others of us are forever gone physically but will never be gone from our memories
These realities of life have made us careworn, drained, and weary
We are reminded that mortality is no longer just a distant concept but a harsh certainty

But….

For a magical weekend we came together
Our spirits livened, our steps lightened, our smiles came quickly
The years disappeared as though we stepped into a time machine
We were transported back to our youth
Friendships that were lost became instantly alive
As though the summer of seventy-nine was here again
We realized that we are indeed part of something special
God gave us a chance to shed our cares, share our joys, and grasp our youth one more time
We left this miraculous weekend with something more than what we came with
We return to our busy everyday lives with the knowledge that we are still part of an extraordinary group
The spirit of 79 is in all of us and we will carry it as well as our love for each other forever
We take comfort knowing that when we come together again this spirit will always return
Once again our steps will lighten, the smiles will quickly return and the bonds of friendship will instantly appear

May God Bless You All