It is Daniel’s senior year, so I am feeling a little nostalgic. He will soon become the second child in our home to sprout his wings and leave home. This time of year I attend debate tournaments at least twice a month with the Granbury High School team. I love it, because I am a former debater. Traveling all over the state as a high school debater gave me some much needed confidence, but most importantly it opened the door to the formation of lifelong friendships.

I have encouraged the boys to seek out that same avenue for an academic extra-curricular activity. Randall competed in cross-examination debate and Daniel continues to do Lincoln Douglas debate. It has been a lot of fun traveling with the team as a sponsor and judge. I have even had the opportunity to coach the orginal oratory event this year. The season however is almost over. Daniel will soon be anticipating graduation.

The last tournament of 2009 will be held at Coronado High School in Lubbock in two weeks. How can I not look over Daniel’s teammates who will graduate with him this year, and wonder if he will stay in contact with them once they all go to college. I never gave much thought to such an idea when I was a senior at Monterey High School in Lubbock. I hate to admit it, but I was removed from the team for disciplinary reasons early in my senior year. A potential debate scholarship to Texas Tech was eradicated by the choices I made in one weekend. Despite my poor choices, the friendships that were formed at the very first debate tournament I attended in 1978 ended up being lifelong relationships.

Most of met at that first tournament of the season in 1978. We became exceedingly close as we traveled on chartered buses all over the state of Texas during the course of the next several years. Little did our coach know that we visited the Alamo at 2:00 in the morning during a tournament in San Antonio in 1979. There were of course other antics that simply don’t need to be mentioned in order to protect the guilty. Strong bonds were formed. We grew to love each other. And then we all went our respective ways.

Over the past 5 or 6 years we have all reunited. Several of us have children in college now. Most of us are getting close to having all of our children raised for that matter. The experience of paying for our raising has hunbled each of us. We would not look favorably at our children visiting the Alamo in the middle of the night during a school trip. Our relationships today are more meaningful than ever. A shared past coupled with a little maturity makes for great friendships.

I hope Daniel will take take a few moments during the Coronado tournament to observe his friends very carefully. I hope he will savor the moment. I hope he is grateful for each of his teammates. It will be the final tournament of 2009, so it would be a good time to be reflective.

His coach asked me to accompany the team to the Coronado tournament. I eagerly agreed to go! Coronado High School was our cross town rivalry! There is nothing quite like going back to the town where so many memories were formed. I will insist that the team eat at least one meal at Taco Villa, because that is where I ate with my teammates nearly everyday! The Coronado tournament will be one of Daniel’s final competitions for his senior year. He will soon be thinking about other things. When Daniel’s coach asked me to join them, I failed to share a very important and personal detail.

The Coronado High School Debate Tournament was the first debate event I attended in 1978, when I initially joined the team. Little did I know that fateful weekend that the people I met at that event would become lifelong friends? Now life has come full circle.

Daniel’s tenure as a high school debater will reach a climatic point at the same place where mine all began 31 years ago. I am feeling more than a little nostalgic as I anticipate walking the hallways of that school after all of these years. Most importantly I am grateful for each of the indivuals I met within the confines of those school walls in 1978. I value them more today than I ever have before. Thanks to each of you for enriching my life and making it fun. It is good to be thankful on Thanksgiving!