Patriotism is Still Deeply Ingrained and Integral to Our Identity: The opening prayer by our Senior Class president was beautifully crafted and included prayers for our President and other national leaders as well as prayers for those serving our country in the military. Eleven of our classmates were either in the military or married to a military man. One classmate ended his biography with a request that we pray for America's "political leadership and for the many fine young men and women who serve in our armed forces." He wrote, "They deserve our support."

Faith is Vital for Successfully Handling Life: Reunions always highlight the truth that life is hard. A family business destroyed by an unethical bookkeeper, children suffering and dying, a diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis (MS), unexpected early death, companies downsizing, injuries ending activity and careers, divorce, abandonment, single parenthood, biopsies revealing malignancies, the death of a loved one to cancer, a child born with Down Syndrome, strokes, heart attacks and fatal accidents, parents requiring care –– only the grace of God enables us to thrive despite the "curve balls" that life throws at us. Numerous classmates mentioned the sustaining power of their faith and the support that comes from their involvement in a church community.

Ultimately, Family is Most Important: Our classmates were proud of their accomplishments. Several had college football scholarships and three lettered at major universities –– the University of Georgia, the U.S. Naval Academy and Georgia Tech. Several were Marine pilots and commercial airline pilots, several are multi-year church organists, one is President of the American Optometric Association, several are college or association board members, attorneys, CPAs, chiropractors, teachers, real estate brokers, nurses, doctors and artists. Among them were numerous small business owners, a band owner, a fund-raiser, , an architect, a banker, a dentist and others. In the end, though, everyone mentioned the importance of their family and wanted to share pictures of their loved ones.

These are the people who take in foster kids that nobody else will take, who spend weekends helping clean up after Hurricane Katrina, who take in a grandchild who needs special care, who assist with anything electronic, who are involved in MS or Parkinson's Support Groups, who serve on boards and earn "distinguished alumnus" awards, who raise money for charitable organizations, whose suggestions improve Social Security handling and processing, who travel to the poorest coal mining villages to bring supplies and medical care, who coach Little League, and who teach migrants safe driving lessons.

Before boarding our plane to return home, my husband and I had lunch at the Atlanta airport. Suddenly, applause broke out and dozens of people began to stand and clap. I was puzzled for a moment until I looked over to see a parade of fatigue-clad soldiers marching through the rotunda adjacent to the food court, heading out for deployment to Iraq. I was deeply moved as I watched their departure . . . with all of its uncertainty and peril. The moment struck home all the more poignantly since many of the men were accompanied by wives and children from whom they were being whisked away by the currents of war. Harder still, in some ways, was the sight of some of the women accompanied by a husband and children. As group after group passed by, we all stood and applauded until the very last of these fine young Americans had passed by.

This is how mainstream Americans feel about our soldiers who are sacrificing so much for their country and our freedom.

My happy emotional reunion imprinted anew on my heart a picture of the wonderful people who are the strength of America. These are people who internalize the commandment of Christ that we "love our neighbor as ourselves." Doubtless it's true that you can't go home again, but being with my former classmates renewed for me the reality that many of the most meaningful aspects of life stem from being with the people that we call friends.