Old School Chums and Friends

I received an e-mail this morning, Monday morning, that another of my old school chums is in critical condition at the hospital. Elmer Jones, an old Levi school buddy, is in the ICU in Memphis with heart problems, kidney failure, etc.

I am reminded, once again, of the class of "59" Whitehaven High School, Memphis, Tennessee and how we were going to go forth into the world and change the world. I guess each graduating class thinks they are going to change the world and make a mark on the history books and the book of life. But I find, more often than not, that the marks made by our graduating class and our classmates, old friends, and the one's we love dearly is the imprint they make on our hearts.

While I have very little contact with any of my old classmates there are a lot of memories of the "good old days." You know what, when we were all little kids at Levi elementary school and then big kids at Whitehaven High School I doubt that even one of us gave any thought to the impressions we made on others. We were simply kids being kids, learning how to get along and treat one another.

So many of them are fading away and many have already left us, but one thing is for certain, whether we ever meant to or not we leave impressions behind us, and even after we are gone there is a hint of sweetness that remains having known and cared about those who we have known in our past.