1999

1999. Graduation. Took long enough, right?
Walked the stage, yelled out "Tadow!" armed with an airhorn and a tipsy smile. Dennis LeBeau and I had bronco burritoes for breakfast the day of graduation, topped off with screwdrivers... so while he was reeeeal quiet and sat still, i was tipsy, grinnin, and bouncin in my seat all giddy.

Also went back to Europe again. This time, not so much as the tourist/shopper, but more on a prayerful journey. Visited several churches from Portugal to Spain to France.

While in Portugal, we visited Fatima. My belief has it that the Virgin Mary appeared there before three children... the small house in the background houses the remains of the tree where she hovered over. Few, if ever any, non-priests are allowed on that altar, but they let me assist the priests that we travelled with. If there was ever a time that it felt like I walked on air, it was here. Can't explain it, but it was the most calm I'd ever felt. Maybe it was just out of faith. Maybe it was something else. Who knows? All I know is, it's a memory stored for always.

To think, so many years back, I'd even thought of becoming a priest. Most of the folks we knew, whether family friends or folks from church who knew me figured I'd go into the seminary. As it is, it was my partner Thu who went on to the seminary, and I just remained an altar server... ever since 1983.