Homecoming reminds us of shaping forces

The return to one’s high school or college campus for homecoming activities is generally a nostalgic visit to a time of youth, energy and a lifestyle with less commitment and responsibility.

For many of us, college was the place we met our spouse.

We made career decisions while exploring philosophical outlooks on life that would persist, to a large degree, for the remainder of our lives.

Encountering former mentors, teachers and instructors, roommates and classmates, as well as old flames, adds to the excitement and significance of homecoming.

For many, it not only is a wonderful time for reflection and appreciation of our chance to receive an education, but it also is a wonderful time to review the experiences that shaped our lives, made us grow, taught us respect and compassion, made us tolerant of others and made us introspective.

For many, it was the best of all possible worlds, an opportunity to enjoy adult experiences and newly found freedom, to explore and learn, to try and retry until we found our niche, to grow and develop in an exciting environment while someone else – usually our parents – picked up the tab.

Granted, many of us worked for a large part of our education, but for the majority some financial support came from home along with an enormous amount of nurturing.

Homecoming is a time of memories, a time for understanding and appreciating traditions that we observed but let lie dormant during our young adult years.

Now comes the time for appreciating traditions and symbols and the shared moments that bonded together individuals on the campus, individuals with different personalities, different backgrounds.

Some of these might not have met and exchanged ideas and thoughts had they not been together in college at that particular time.

Another interesting aspect of homecoming is the effect it has on our need to help perpetuate the values and historical landmarks of our educational system.

In this time of rapid, unpredictable change in the world, having an anchor like our educational forbear, with its accompanying traditions, provides a feeling of security.

That journey back each year to a part of our past can serve as an opportunity to remember, reflect and appreciate.

It can also serve as a catalyst to stir our desire to perpetuate the legacy of our alma mater and to keep this legacy alive and strong for our descendants.

Opportunities abound for postgraduate service to every institution of learning.

Financial assistance is always appreciated, but by serving as an ambassador for your university in your transplanted community, you can also spread the word of the enrichment it gave you and your classmates.

This contribution can influence the choices of others as they begin their educational process, culminating in their own future homecoming and providing them with the enriching experience of nostalgia and appreciation and reflection.