This October has been a month of reflection regarding the passing of time. Notably, fifty years of marriage does not seem possible, but 1975 was also the year Michael graduated from college and said goodbye to friendships and a brotherhood of Theta Chi.
Michael had lost touch; others also, but thanks to the internet and ChatGPT, he was contacted to attend, and thankful his brothers were determined to get together for this reunion.
After graduation, the class of ‘75 returned to their home states, left Florida for jobs elsewhere, served a military career abroad or stateside. They came from everywhere living coast to coast, and the farthest came from SanDiego.
When we attended the dinner in celebration of their 50th anniversary. I was struck by the brothers' excitement to see each other after the years had passed, their bond and friendship they experienced in four years of college, united them in 2025.
I heard conversations about their livelihoods, which they were now retired from, and a few were still working. It was interesting to learn more about their careers and life choices, as well as their families. There were even connections to Wisconsin: some brothers lived near us, and we had no idea. Some had favorite Northwoods spots where they fished or hunted, and others visited their children moving up north, went to a wedding in Lambeau, or were cabbage growers in New York, only to compete with farmers in southeast Wisconsin who were their competitors.
In this group of men, answers to the questions of how life unfolded for each one, brought them together in one room: marriages, divorce, remarriage, health issues, no children, children, grandchildren, life experiences, and we were humbled to see the list of names who were deceased but remembered.
The coordinator of the event could not be there as his wife had passed the day before; we were reminded once again, how unexpected life can be.
There was also disappointment for those who could not make it, and their absence was felt.
Physical changes we all experience when age creeps up on us like gain weight, lose weight, turn gray, or lose hair, as soon as you looked into their eyes or heard their voices, they were known exactly.
For Michael, talking with them was like five decades since graduation never existed. They were still sitting in the cafeteria at school, hanging out on the wall, playing intramurals, or sharing ROTC drills fifty years later.
The laughter of their shenanigans was boisterous (and before my time) in their house, a boa constrictor, a caiman, a monkey, a cockatiel, and a German shepherd contraband against house rules, much to their house mother's chagrin.
Everyone had a nickname, and I heard those, too, a range of names through the alphabet, from Buzz to Tuna. How they kept the epithets and real names straight after fifty years amazed me, and the laughter ensued over their renaming tradition.
On campus, the houses of fraternity row were razed, but not the memories.
Please share memories from reunions you have experienced in the comments below.
