Every reunion demands a leap of faith that only becomes harder with arthritic knees, bionic hips, walkers, wheelchairs, canes, and even, in one case, an oxygen tank. Likely some of us contemplated our return to campus with an unsettling mix of anticipation and anxiety. Perhaps we figured we wouldn't know anybody, then found ourselves surprised — even relieved -- to recognize ourselves in everybody there.
Mother Time is an intrepid equalizer who managed to pull our fat — and our wrinkles — from the fire. The Class of '54 is mostly all retired now, giving our bodies over to the pull of gravity, and our spirits to the indulgence of pleasurable pastimes. Some have lived beyond the span of spouses and even children. Many have already shed the bulk of life's possessions; others are thinking about it, often with dread. It is a precarious balancing act to be downsized and uplifted at the same time.
The young undergrads who assisted our class at reunion were most considerate, even if, in truth, they considered us an odd and ancient lot, misplacing objects and fretting over campus bus schedules . No matter. They’ll understand us eventually.
When the weekend ended, I told myself that the 60th reunion would likely be my swan song, my last hurrah. But who knows? Five years from now I might consent to have my arm twisted, if that body part and others are still intact. Besides, I have a feeling that Hillary and Madeleine would want me to give it the old college try.
©2014 Doris O'Brien for SeniorWomen.com
The Wellesley news office offered this perspective:
Wellesley alumnae from class years ending in 9 or 4, with attendees from the Class of 1939 through the Class of 2009, are celebrating reunions at Wellesley this weekend.
"When the oldest attendees of Reunion 2014 were graduating, Lou Gehrig had just ended his 2,130 consecutive game streak, the comic book Batman was new to the market, Kay Kyser's Three Little Fishies topped the charts, and Adolph Hitler and Benito Mussolini signed their 'Pact of Steel.' When the youngest attendees were graduating, Danica Patrick had finished third at the Indianapolis 500, the world was bracing for a possible "swine flu" (H1N1) epidemic, Pitbull's I Know You Want Me topped the charts, and the Pakistan army and Taliban battled in the Swat Valley."
Women's College's in the United States from Women's College Coalition (http://womenscolleges.org/)
Editor's Note: Our three daughters graduated from women's colleges, Bryn Mawr and Simmons. Your editor graduated from Douglass College which, in 1910 began offering classes for women. A current graduate is Judge Leonie M. Brinkema, a 1966 graduate of Douglass College, Rutgers University, who was the first female judge named to the US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia in 1993. She has presided over several high-profile terrorism cases, including the 2006 trial of 9/11 conspirator, Zacarias Moussaoui, and many other closely-watched cases, including trials on the Internet and the Church of Scientology.
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