An unexpected (and welcome) letter that arrived last week, after-the-jump ...
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Although I do not send out many Christmas cards nowadays (and restrict them to those whom I do not expect to see during the holidays) … one that I sent resulted in a nice letter in my mailbox last week.
I have written about my high school before: we had 400+ in our graduating class of 1974, and as it no longer exists (we were taken-over by our arch-rival, who were bursting-at-the-seams in their small facility) it holds a special place for me. The Manhattan high school that future basketball stars Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Len Elmore attended … resulted in their attending a 2011 reunion for the defunct school’s 80th anniversary, with vivid memories.
In my case: that school got me away from some bullies at the junior high school I had attended, giving me a fresh start. Thus, when many people relate how horrid their high school experience was, I can relate … just for me, it was junior high.
No small part of that experience was our principal, John Rowan. A Jesuit priest, he was one of the great influences on my life, with regards not to religion but instead: ethics, intellectual curiosity, civic engagement, the arts and generosity. He has joined us at some of our reunions and is almost universally held in high regard. My original 2012 story is at this link.
My graduating class has a dedicated Facebook page, which at first (after newcomers greeting long-lost classmates) resulted in stories of favorite/worst teachers, secret crushes, pranks played, et al. In more recent times (other than vacation photos and impromptu meet-ups) it’s rather somber: seeking thoughts/prayers for ill children/grandchildren, to the death of a spouse, to questions on Medicare, hip replacements and other subjects for us in our 67th year on this planet.
And thus, I try whenever possible to post something uplifting. Earlier this year, I posted a Top Comments diary about my 21 year-old niece taking a psychology class … from someone I had as a high school teacher forty-eight(!) years earlier (at this link) and my classmates got a laugh at his notes on my niece’s final group report for the semester.
When I was sending out the (aforementioned) small batch of Christmas cards … I had one card left in the box. And while he does have an e-mail address, Father Rowan’s often not adept at responding — an 86 year-old with a schedule that leaves me tired. So why not send him this card? I told him that story of one of his former teachers (Gerry Seifert) now an adjunct instructor at a local college (St. Joseph’s on Long Island, New York) in it. I then forgot I had even sent this.
This past week, I received a short note on fine stationery written with a fountain pen (which I do at times). In it, he references the opening date of the school (1966) and his first four-year graduating class (1970) — here are some selections:
"I enjoyed your niece’s story about Gerry Seifert — I had completely lost track of him and didn't know he taught at St. Joseph's".
"In the summer I went with (two members of the Class of 1970, unsure of the handwriting here) to the Mattituck home of Joe Casarona ’70. Joe was an M.D. in Brooklyn, he fell down a steep staircase in his home, injuring his spine. Had a slow but steady recovery and is now able to get around with the help of an aide full time. Our school connections were as of yesterday, except that now I am only 15 years older than them: not twice their age, which was the case in 1966!"
"I am also in touch with Jim Keenan SJ – a much published moral theologian at Boston College – Google him".
"I hope you are enjoying life ... and I have really connected with your stories".
I feel blessed to have known him. Let’s close with a (relatively) unknown 1995 song by Elton John … which sounds apropos when sung by him.
Now, on to Top Comments:
Nothing came-in from the field this evening
And from Ed Tracey, your faithful correspondent this evening ........
In the diary by ericlewis0 about the California bar association recommending disbarment of John Eastman — gchaucer2 cites a term that is often bandied-about (and usually in terms of debauchery) yet whose actual legal definition … has a definite application here.
Next - enjoy jotter's wonderful (and now eternal) *PictureQuilt™* below. Just click on the picture and it will magically take you to the comment featuring that photo.
TOP PHOTOS
January 25th, 2023
(NOTE: Any missing images in the Quilt were removed because (a) they were from an unapproved source that somehow snuck through in the comments, or (b) it was an image from the DailyKos Image Library which didn't have permissions to allow others to use it.) |
And lastly: yesterday's Top Mojo - mega-mojo to the intrepid mik ...... who rescued this feature from oblivion: