CHLS Class of 1973 – A 53rd Reunion

To Dave, Jimmy, Diane, Diana, Pat, Manny, and Leslie—thank you for the work, time, energy, and heart you put into bringing us together for our 53rd Cambridge High and Latin High School Reunion. You’re the glue that holds the boards of this old boat together, allowing our journey to continue. Your commitment will always be appreciated.

Walking up the stairs at the Hong Kong restaurant in Harvard Square, in Cambridge Ma., I felt a nervousness I hadn’t expected. Fifty-three years after graduation, I paused at the door, looking at my classmates.

My mind still held their seventeen-and eighteen-year-old faces. Yet what surprised me was how beautiful they all had become.

I wondered what I had expected.

Looking at them felt like seeing what had become of a canvas from its first brushstrokes. The years had added colors, texture, depth—even shadows that gave the light somewhere to shine.

I stepped into welcoming arms, and felt the familiar spirit within their embrace. I rejoiced in learning how they had transformed. I reached out to fluff gray curls, opted for long embraces instead of polite handshakes. Throughout the evening, our conversations swayed between then and now, a shared memory followed by news of where life had taken us.

I had known these people before most of our lives had happened. Here we were, discovering one another again.

I also had the chance to visit with Mr. Lipkin, Ms. Grady, and Coach Foster—wizards whose magic was in the bond they formed with us. They welcomed us into learning as collaborators, inspiring us to be curious and do our best. In conversation, I could still feel their passion and commitment.

We sometimes wonder what made Cambridge High and Latin so special.

That evening, I kept finding the answer in the people around me.

When I stepped back through the doorway and headed down the stairs, I thought about the nervousness I’d felt coming up.

The room behind me had been full of joy, pride in one another, and love. I could still feel it around me as I walked out.

I carried my takeaway of memories home with me, and when I opened it this morning, I found another surprise.

“Nobody told me there would be cake”

Written by TheBowLeggedBlogger.com