The Memorials

Every forest branch moves differently in the breeze,
but as they sway, they connect at the roots.
-Rumi, translated by Coleman Barks

Soon after I was asked to present the Memorial to our deceased classmates, I began to think of ways to acknowledge each of them without reading the growing list of names. We had determined that they would be listed in the Memory Book, but I wanted a little more than that and just the few comments that I would make.

In December, I spotted shiny, glorious purple ornaments in the holiday aisle and I had my answer! I would write the almost 80 names on purple and gold balls and hang them on a tree. I hoped it would work.

On a warm afternoon in February, I wandered the woods looking for just the right tree. I found a beautiful, bare sweet gum, its gnarly branches glowing in the winter sun. I cut three limbs and put them on the porch of my grandmother's old house. I checked them often to see that they were drying well and that the shapes would fit together. Carrying them through the woods had not been a problem, getting them the 30 miles to the Country Club was another matter.

On Saturday night, classmates were asked to place one of the balls on the tree; the list had now grown to 82. I was surprised that it began to matter whose name they hung -- not usually just a close friend, but someone they remembered from third grade or junior high or band. Each deceased classmate was remembered and missed.

I had prepared my remarks and promised not to take more than five minutes, but after we had gathered in the dining room, I knew I needed to allow some other words. Now, I'm not even sure at which point I asked for two sentences from . . . anyone. A few stood in place to remember old friends out loud; others just remembered. I think it was a good part of our time together.

NOTE: Before the Reunion, we did not have the names of Betty June Hendricks (Oglesby) (2004), Julian David King (2008) nor Douglas Granger.

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Thanks to Fred Fidler for bringing in the tree and to my daughter Susan for hanging the lights.
AAB