20 Year Reunion!

Tonight as I sit on an Asian island, surrounded by swamp and rivers and a world away from where I grew up, I am thinking of my classmates preparing to celebrate our 20 year high school reunion. Given the fact that I will be on a plane flying over the North Pole to visit my wife's family in the US on Saturday rather than with my old classmates, I am surprisingly excited about the event I will miss. I am not excited that I will miss it.

Isn't it amazing how spending only 5 years together through the teenage years can form a bond so lasting. Maybe it is nostalgic delusion setting in as I age! Maybe it is because of the 'turmoil' we go through together as teenagers. Maybe it is the trust built as we undertook seriously crazy dares together. Maybe it was the vulnerability of confiding in your mates about a girl you had the hots for! Maybe it was simply because we spent more time with each other than we did with our own families during that period in life. Whatever it was, it was strong, deep and lasting.

I lost count the number of times we (the guys) were late for the first class after lunch. Who could blame us though? We were working hard honing our beach volleyball skills and to stop before the bell was just not an option if we were going to make it to the Pro's one day. Sitting through the last two classes, sweating with my jocks full of sand wasn't pleasant but it was well worth it. Interestingly enough, none of us made it to the Pro's!

Distilled water bottle flights in chemistry with Mr Luthe was certainly a highlight of titration while blowing up capacitors in Physics with Mr Fresta, one of my best teachers as a senior, was a welcomed surprise. How frightening was Mr Fresta as a teacher when we were in Grade 8? I was never going to mess with him, especially if it involved plovers down on the oval! He certainly loved those birds.

From the mysterious and explosive touch power, to the Kaboda King keeping us on the pathways and off the precious lawn, rarely was there a dull moment. I remember one time trying to explain to Brother Vince (sorry, cannot remember his last name) why I was wearing athletics shorts that were not school issue. It was cross country day and there was no way I was going to run 6 km's in those highly restrictive shorts. Did he not understand all that was at stake? Come on!

For the table tennis fan base, I am sure the memories of our team winning the State Championship in 1993 is still fresh in your minds. For those interested, the new table tennis table we won for the school is probably still packed away, unused in the storage room in the old speech and drama building! Speaking of the speech and drama building, does anyone remember that thing ... what was it? Rock Eisteddfod? Rhythmically challenged I was only part of the cheer squad but how fun was that?

I won't go into detail about the challenges set up and down Brother Hogan Drive but you know who you are. The senior camp in Rocky was also a great time. Does anyone remember the notes we wrote to each other? I still have them saved away in case I need to remind any of you at some stage that I was a nice guy. That was certainly one of the most encouraging experiences in my senior year.

Parade and sock/garter check in Grade 9 with Mr Swanton (I will withhold the nickname) was always a little nerve wracking as was English class for the entire 5 years. English was the subject I dropped on my OP scores! I have since had to learn another 2 languages but English is still the language I love to hate. Maths C was awesome although it was a little weird at times when our teacher, Mr Seary, actually turned up. Graphics was always fun trying to get Mr Malone distracted for a double lesson on healthy home remedies rather than doing actual class work. If that didn't work, throwing powder socks into the fans worked well. I also enjoyed Maths B with one of my favourite teachers, Mrs Rowe. She has this amazing ability to understand my seating system. I would begin front and centre, only to slowly move back over a number of weeks to the back row. The day I hit the back row, she has my desk front and centre ready. It was very hard at the front to zap people with static electricity on the back of the neck.

No nostalgic memory of Shalom is complete without Brother Rocky. That man must have had a light-room at the back of his chapel to develop all those photos! He was always there getting plenty of pictures. It is something I am now very grateful for. And how about photo day for the yearbook? How many people joined the social club or St Vinnies just for that photo? You know who you are.

We also endured tragedy together. I will never forget Jamie Parsons passing away during our 9th grade. Losing a friend is tough but as we experienced that together, it strengthened our relationships.

Somehow, we survived all this and so much more, until our Prom night. How fun was that? For all the flack I copped, I was a happy dateless man, decked out in an Ivory suit, having an awesome time going from party to party. Naturally, I was the designated driver but who would want to turn down Rav's Corolla? Down at Duncan's sitting around the campfire, hanging out at Marty's place until the sun came up and then heading to school to sign in for the last day was a bitter-sweet 24 hrs.

Little was I to know the plans that God had for my life. I was preparing to move to Brisbane with all my mates for university and continue this great experience. The week before leaving, I was offered an Engineering Cadetship at LSA and because it was a clear answer to prayer, I took it. Watching everyone move to Brisbane was difficult but that one step of faith changed the direction of my life. Each step since has prepared me for the situations and places that God has me in today. Today, the verse that exemplifies my family, is found in Ephesians 6:19, "Pray also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak." As Christ freely gave His life for you and I, so my family and I freely give our lives to Him.

The five years with my great friends from high school was and still is a great blessing to me. It was used by God to mould and shape me into the person I am today. I have no idea what my life would look like without my years with a select group at Shalom. I thank God for each of them today and ask that His blessing, peace and comfort will be upon them through their tragic heartaches and exhilarating joys. I pray that they too will give thanks to God for our wonderful time together over 20 years ago and as they look back, can see the hand of God working in their own lives through the bad and the good.