Pardon me while I wander back down memory lane to a spot that, as far as regular readers of this blog goes, only my parents and Roxanne will have been.
Roxanne is well known for being big on emotion. She doesn't do happy, sad, weepy, stressed out, or in love half-way. And thus it has always been. She also is the only person I know that can remember the minutia of both of our lives as accurately as I do -- sometimes more so (oh -- but Cody asked why I didn't get a red car while we were in Mathews' driveway showing it off to them). Anyway, we have a lot of history, much of which includes the roller coaster ride of high school.
Today I heard "Friends Are Friends Forever" on the local Christian radio station. That transported me back 19 years (okay, that number just made my crow's feet deepen by an inch). Roxanne and I graduated from a Christian school in North Louisiana. If you went to a Christian school in the '80's, then it was some unspoken rule that "Friends are Friends Forever" would be sung at your high school graduation. And sing we did -- Roxanne and I both altos in the chorus (as I age I'm becoming more of a tenor and in about 20 years I should sing bass with Troy!)
Then I realized -- I think it was 19 years ago TODAY that we had our Junior/Senior Banquet. You see, since we went to a Christian school, we didn't have evil dancing, like a prom, but we had very, very formal eating! There are many things I remember about that day -- less that I remember about the banquet. Okay, now I'm getting our junior year and senior year confused. Junior year I remember best. But my senior year -- as I think about it, I can't believe anyone would do this. I was "Miss OCS" and student body president -- and evidently completely undate-able. So I asked a previous years' graduate, Ricky Myers, to take me. Bless his precious heart. He left the morning after finals week and packing his dorm room, drove 8 hours, met his father in the parking lot who gave him a regular vehicle, not laden with belongings, and also gave him a rented tux, and then we proceeded to stay up all night with the frivolity (that I remember precious little of). Wow. I'm surprised he ever spoke to me again!
So that was my little selfish walk down memory lane. This time of year always does it to me. Seeing my own children heading into another grade, seeing kids I have known for years graduate from high school and leave home, and remembering my own high school years is all just a part of April and May for me.
Packing up the dreams God planted
In the fertile soil of you
Can’t believe the hopes he’s granted
Means a chapter in your life is through
But we’ll keep you close as always
It won’t even seem you’ve gone
’cause our hearts in big and small ways
Will keep the love that keeps us strong
And friends are friends forever
If the lord’s the lord of them
And a friend will not say never
’cause the welcome will not end
Though it’s hard to let you go
In the father’s hands we know
That a lifetime’s not too long
to live as friends.
With the faith and love god’s given
Springing from the hope we know
We will pray the joy you’ll live in
Is the strength that now you show
But we’ll keep you close as always
It won’t even seem you’ve gone
’cause our hearts in big and small ways
Will keep the love that keeps us strong.
And friends are friends forever
If the lord’s the lord of them
And a friend will not say never
’cause the welcome will not end
Though it’s hard to let you go
In the father’s hands we know
That a lifetime’s not too long
to live as friends.
