No One Throws Away Memories

During the preparation for our 35th Grand Reunion, it was a welcome surprise to see batchmates still having their copies of the yearbook, high school pictures (mostly in black and white), and other paraphernalia. The yearbook especially was very useful in identifying and locating long-lost classmates. It was an ubiquitous fixture in every get-together we had and it never failed to cause laughter and smiles. During the reunion, ten copies of the yearbook were found at the NDDU storeroom and half of it were sold right away.

People who keep precious memories are often dismissed as sentimental fools. But as we come to a certain age when our mental recollection of people, events and places starts to fade and dim, these memories become valuable reminders of who we were, where we were, what we wore and ate, who we were with.

In these times when people are obsessed with the here and now, when today's trends are tomorrow's trash, memories serve as milestones which mark our life's journey. Memories are guideposts as we reflect on the life we have had. There are times when we have to dwell in the past to understand the present and to plan ahead. Memories are to be relished like homecooked meals our mothers served us. These memories are the stars that we forget to see while we are cursing the darkness around us. Surely, no one has a past so bleak that it is deemed better forgotten. One who has no use for memories must have amnesia! :)

The Hallmark card theme song said it right: No one throws away memories. There are memories that are forever etched in our hearts and minds. And our memories of the best years in high school are now enriched by recent memories of our 35th Grand Reunion.

See you in 2010! 37th ng '73!