The Bayfield High School class of 1974 had its reunion a week ago. I feel old in saying it, but I was part of that class. There was 39 of us, and we all knew each other and everybody else in high school and even a bunch in junior high and grade school. For that reason, we invited other 1970s graduates to join us in our celebration.
Some of the people there, I hadn’t seen in 50 years. Whoever thought to bring the name tags, thank you! I wouldn’t have known some of them, and they wouldn’t have known me otherwise. Some came from far away, some live locally. Seeing the ones who attended the event was such a delight. I’m amazed at how impressive our little classes turned out. Even some of the class clowns and troublemakers turned out to be really good people. Our small school educated and graduated some amazing people including college professors, award-winning probation officers, writers (more than just me), lawyers, small business owners, and other professions. We turned out pretty good thanks to our great teachers.
Several of our classmates are excellent cooks and hosted the meals for the gathering. Smoked brisket with all the trimmings and sides and a taco bar that was beyond outstanding made me overeat the whole time. I wouldn’t change that; I’ll diet later. The fare was better than any catered meal I’ve had.
A group of us girls (WE still consider ourselves girls) have stayed in touch over the years, more so after our families were raised and gone. Texts and Facebook are fine, but to sit across the table from one another and talk was many times better. We’re all at the same point in life and having a common childhood history binds us together.
Our reunion was a joyous affair. After all these years, the cliques are gone, old grudges forgotten, and we’re one happy family from a small town in southwest Colorado. There were no political discussions that got out of hand (if any at all) and no wild drinking or boisterous behavior. It was mostly laughter and catching up on how life went for us. Most are retired. Some hadn’t seen their close friends in high school since graduation. Those reunions were the best to watch. Some who never talked to or interacted with each other in school found common ground and got to know each other. Several classmates had had serious health problems but seemed to be overcoming them. I’ve added several to my personal prayer list.
All class reunions may not be this way, but ours was. The common thread of being in the 1974 class of BHS binds us together even all these many years later. I look forward to the next one.