Kids Grow Up Too Fast!

     Being a High School teacher for the past 40 years, I  have had thousands of students and observed them in a myriad of ways.  From working and at play, from focused and all over the map, from their hopes and dreams and their disappointments, from happy to sad and I thought I would make a few comments today.
     This past January 6th one of my former students, friend and motorcycle riding buddy passed away.  Saturday the 14th a number of his friends held a memorial gathering to remember him.  My wife and I attended and talked with those former students we hadn't seen in 15 to 20 years, while some we see regularly.  The evening was spent not only remembering the departed but catching up on what a number have been doing over the past years.  I can tell you that walking in to that event was like stepping into the past and all of us behaved like we had just gotten back from 3rd period.  It was like we had seen each other all the time.  Like the years made no difference.  They were wiped away instantly after the initial hug.  I can't tell how that felt!  Most there graduated high school 25 years ago and it was if they never left but had very successful lives with children and jobs.  A lot of our time was spent sharing pictures of their children and us showing them our children and grand-children.  Sounds boring, but for us very exciting.  Elaine and I expected we would stay only an hour or so and ended up staying three hours.  There were chairs everywhere yet nobody sat down.  We kept moving from one small group to another all night.  It was very emotional on so many levels.
    My present students attended the high schools Winter Formal with all that encompasses, pictures, corsages, limos and beautiful young people in beautiful gowns and tuxedos and suits.  They looked terrific and I could not help remembering those same pictures of the 25 year graduates covering the yearbooks of that time.  All so many great memories. As  I gazed on those pictures of today's kids and look at those graduates I can't help thinking that no matter what we think of today's teenagers, they will grow continuing to be caring, responsible loving adults in the future and swelling us with pride with every passing year.