A lifetime ago, I went to Gordon College after high school and became the first in my Chinese American family to graduate from college. Since then, our children, all my nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews have completed or will soon complete their college education. Now our oldest granddaughter is a freshman in college!
While going to college is our family’s path to becoming a contributing member of our society, it’s not necessarily the only way to a fulfilled life. We know that all kinds of trades, occupations and professions make up a viable and sustainable commonwealth.
When I arrived on the Gordon campus in 1967, I was a stranger in a foreign land. It wasn’t the city. It was very evangelical. It was more academically challenging than Boston Public Schools. But with the grace of God, patient professors and good friends I persevered, adapted and graduated! My college days affected the days of my life.
2021 is my 50th or Golden Reunion of my graduation. John Lethbridge was my first dorm roommate. Bob Baker, musician and guitarist and I along with Marilyn and Faith formed Antiphon, a gospel team and sang at local church pot-luck events. Yes, we got to eat free after our gigs!
In searching for my friend, roommate and head usher at our wedding in 1972, Dan Janey whom I wanted so dearly to see again, I discovered that he had passed in 2019. I didn’t know and how much I wished I did.
If you had college days like I did, they were tumultuous and foundational. They offered a forum to speak out our convictions and formed the building blocks to build a lifetime. Thank you, Gordon and all educational institutions tolerating dissent as an essential part of coming of age. Thank you to all college friends whom I will always remember for the rest of my life.