“The only true guardian of peace lies within: a sense of concern and responsibility for your own future and an altruistic concern for the well-being of others.” — His Holiness the Dalai Lama

I brought my Mac Book to the Herald to rid the dots that were landing between each word. It only took a second for one of the writers to correct it. Then I was invited to type my column here at the Herald. I couldn’t turn that down. It’s been awhile.

Years ago my mother was preparing for her 50th class reunion at the Blooming Prairie golf (and perhaps gun) club north of Blooming on 218. How could anybody go to a reunion after 50 years?

Now its our turn, the class of ’61, our 50th reunion. It will begin on Friday at the Holiday Inn and then move to the Country Club the next night where a dinner will be served (I think) and the music will begin. I’m hoping they use records from the late ’50s and early ’60s that we listened to at The Tower. They were the golden days of our junior and senior years.

It might be a challenge to identify those same people who danced on The Tower floor. People tend to change appearances after 50 years. I connected with Sue Hastings recently. She was a classmate and she is orchestrating things from California. She asked me to help but “the what” she is asking is beyond my ability to do.

I am possibly the only classmate that doesn’t have a cell phone, and I am grateful. On the other hand, I suspect Sue will not recognize me. My hair is white. I’ve been informed that the nasty stuff we dropped on Vietnam was responsible for this, too.

It’s pretty quiet up here in the Herald newsroom, this the first day after trekking through cemeteries to bring flowers or just spend some quiet time with those who have gone before.