The Weatherford High School Homecoming Parade was yesterday, and some thousands of folks lined South Main to celebrate the annual ritual. There were about 30 members of the 1958 graduating class who rode on a hay bale covered trailer and enjoyed the crowd and the joy of celebrating their 50th Homecoming. The football game is tonight an the big party will be Saturday night. It's a wonderful part of home town America, and I had the privilege of observing these 68 year olds acting like 18 year olds. People never change.
We had to "hoist" some of the people onto the high 18 wheeler trailer, but they made it safely. Then 25 went to a local Mexican food restaurant for two hours of noise, food, and conversation. But one of the highlights of the day came at the end of the parade.
We were helping everyone off the trailer. Three of the men had sat together for the ride, and they all had on their football jerseys with their name and number. Ted Hartness (68), Gary Beck (11), and Lynn Dobbins (22) had all been leading team members. Gary and Lynn are still in good physical condition, but Ted has suffered some major medical problems. He is now stooped and shorter, but he had made it to the parade with enthusiasm. He had been in 1958 an All-State Guard for the Weatherford Kangaroos.
Now for the rest of the story.
I noticed three teenage girls walk by our crowd of senior adults, and one was pointing out the number and name on the jersey of Ted. They walked past, but one came back to take a picture of this "old man" in the jersey. Ted had begun to walk away, and I stopped him so they could take a picture of his name on the backside. As Ted walked away, I stepped over to the girl and told her that this man was the Captain of the 1958 Kangaroo team. She was taken by surprise and said to me, "Really?" And I said, "Yes, really." She smiled and continued on her way.
She thought of Ted and the others in the crowd as a bunch of old people.
Ted and the others thought of themselves as a bunch of 18 year olds in tired bodies.
Now for the punch line. All of this is God's plan. He cared for us as 18 year olds, and He still cares for us as older adults. God is good!
No comments:
Post a Comment