Dear Friends,
I recall being told many years ago by the Society that, while in service, I want the householder to feel I am his friend, thereby gaining his confidence and trust. While I had no "Good News" to share with my schoolmates at our forty-year reunion, I determined beforehand that I should do more listening and less talking. With those whom I already knew it was laughter, hugs and tears, and, yes, screams. My approach to those who were strangers to me was, "Hi, my name is ___ and I never talked to you in school but I'm talking to you now!" Whether it was the pom-pon girls, the cheerleaders, the jocks or the inveterate obnoxious, this approach elicited excellent results. The playing field was leveled. It wasn't the academics vs. the bubble-heads, the jocks vs. the nerds ( a term not used at the time ). Forty years ago we were not discussing our foray into family life and the number of grandchildren we expected to have. One dear, shy friend said that she was going to kick herself later for not reaching out and talking to more people. I asked if she would come with me, and I would do the talking. She said no. At that I went up to a fellow student whom I knew by name but had never spoken to. I used my method, and she and a few others came over to speak with my shy friend. After the initial fluster, there was happy talk and experiences in common discovered. I told my friend that a friendship struck up today could very well result in a life-long relationship. Our class president handed out pen and paper to all and exhorted us to get names, addresses, etc. and to stay in touch with each other. His urgings were well heeded. Our next reunion is not in ten tears but in five.
My take on the entire wonderful weekend is the importance of being true friends to others, irrespective of such execrable labeling as "worldly" or "bad association." Many there went to college and carved out for themselves wonderful careers. Some are already comfortably retired. I quit college to pioneer and go to Bethel. Awake! of May 22, 1969, p.15, stated that a young person will never fulfill any career in this system of things. But that was a choice I made and what education I did receive I have put to good use. As stated earlier, I had no religious good news to share, such as that I would have preached to them years before. But in so far as showing interest and human kindness is concerned, such opportunities to associate with our fellow humans should be welcomed.
Yours truly,
Compound Complex