Most people who have a blog use it like a journal and provide readers with an ongoing commentary on the blog-owner’s life and activities. That is how it is supposed to go with a blog. I did XYZ today and here are a few images to accompany my journal entry. That approach does make for an interesting blog; especially if the blog owner has an interesting life.
I thought about this today as I sent an updated bio to one of the organizer’s of my high school class’s 50-year reunion. My gosh; 50 years?
I had listed my blog, which is about a lot of things, but rarely about a day in my life. I have maintained a blog for many years; even decades. It was under a different domain name at one time, but there are still entries/posts available on this version going back to 2011, and there are earlier posts, that just didn’t survive back-ups and new hosting services.
So, here I am contemplating the fact that my classmates, some of whom I still keep in touch with on Facebook, and unfortunately, some who have left us, graduated from high school 50 years ago. That does make a person feel old and with good reason. If you graduated from high school 50 years ago; you are old.
My bio did not cover many details; just what I did during my career, where I lived and some thoughts about looking back on life. I did not mention that I was an Evangelical Christian; a very important fact. I didn’t mention that I still love photography just as much as I did when I was a kid or that I still love getting on my road bike as much as I liked riding my bike when I was eight. I did not mention that I had built nearly 100 WordPress websites like this one. I did not mention that I have written more than 1,000 published articles. I just left those things out.
It’s funny because as you get old, you learn what is important; at least, you should. I could mention that I am lucky enough to tool around in a late-model Mercedes or that I am shopping for a Porsche Cayman or that my road bike is carbon fiber and aluminum and cost a few bucks. Yet, those are just things.
What is really important is “faith, family and friends” in that order. Those are the only things that are enduring and the only things that have real value in life. As someone famously said: “Without Christ; I am nothing.” That is how I look at it. Like most people who are 50 years beyond high school, unfortunately families have shrunk in size. Parents are more than likely gone. In some cases, siblings are sadly gone as well. The importance of family becomes a treasured memory and any opportunity to spend with family members is valued. I know that I lost one of my best friends who died at the age of 61. Another good friend died just last year. We have too few friends to begin with and then death takes the remaining ones from us as well.
Some of my old high school classmates had already submitted some bios that were available online to read. It was good to see that people I shared my school days with had mostly lived good lives and many enjoyed grandchildren now. What a blessing. The list of classmates who had passed away was startling and sad. Several of those names were friends.
My only prayer and wish for the remaining classmates is that they are healthy and live into old age. A body in motion; stays in motion. If you rest; you rust. That is what I would remind every person my age.
When we all left high school, we had dreams and ambitions; some going to college, some going to work, some working to begin families, some joining the military and some looking forward to the next weekend. Somehow, life went by and very fast. It works that way. Our grandparents or our parents informed us that life goes by fast, but we contemplated it for only a moment. And then, 50 years pass, and as someone once said: I realize I am closer to the end than the beginning. Cherish the memories and the current experiences; the grand kids, the travel opportunities, your faith and what you have accomplished. Fraser High School was a life away; a different era, but a good one.
