Anchors Aweigh

Fall seems to be a time for reunions, and as we make preparations to attend my husband’s 30th class reunion at the Naval Academy, I’ve been thinking about reunions, school reunions and family reunions.

My husband graduated from the United States Naval Academy in May of 1981. He was one of approximately 1,000 midshipmen to graduate that spring. Since then, we’ve returned to Annapolis almost every five years to see how well everyone has aged!

The first reunion we attended was the ten-year reunion in 1991. By that time, Tim had gotten out of the Navy and was flying for Delta Airlines. Many of his buddies were still active duty, so they shared stories of their military service. A few years later at the fifteen year reunion, people started bringing their children.

Over the years, we’ve watched those children grow up and move on. The twentieth reunion was a life-changing event for my son. We had taken him to some of the activities and he enjoyed mingling with the current crop of midshipmen. We had lunch in the wardroom, and Timmy spoke with mids who were planning to enroll in Navy flight school. They told him about their summer experiences and the ships they had sailed on.

My son was so impressed with the service academy opportunities that three years later he began his first year at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy. Had it not been for that reunion experience, he might have spent his college years somewhere else.

At the last reunion many of my husband’s classmates were sharing stories of sending kids off to college. We reminisced about packing them up and sending them off only to mourn the empty bedroom and the quiet house. Everyone agreed that it was something that was quickly gotten over! We laughed about watching our children grow up and become adults themselves.

This season, at the Navy football game tailgaters, grandchildren have begun to appear. The class of 1981 is moving on to its next phase. Grandparent-hood and even retirement. One of my husband’s classmates retired as a Navy Captain last year.

I remember attending football games with my husband when he was a student. We’d stroll around the parking lot looking at all of the class flags, 1940, 1945, 1955…We couldn’t imagine being that old and returning for a 30th or 40th year reunion. How old those people must be!

As we tailgate next week, I wonder how many young midshipmen and their dates will be saying the same thing! It’s hard to believe that time has flown by so quickly! But is sure is a wonderful feeling to hear all those old guys at the end of the game shouting “Go Navy! Beat Army!” Some things never change.

This blogpost ran as my column, The Empty Nest, in the Frederick News Post on Sunday November 6, 2011.