Love is Blind

This summer I attended the 30th anniversary all-school reunion of the little Christian school I graduated from in Bismarck, North Dakota way back in 1987. It was fun to see familiar faces, especially those of a few precious teachers.


My history teacher Grael Gannon is actually a student now himself. He is attending grad school with plans for a doctorate. How inspiring is that?


My English teacher Donna Kennedy, who along with Mr Gannon was one of the founding members of the school, handed out copies of the reading list they argued over in the years that this vision was birthed. I will treasure that list! I really had no idea that just one year before the school opened its doors another start up school had been shut down and people arrested. I was a part of something ground-breaking and never knew it!


It was such an honor to visit with Mrs Kennedy again. I told her how I never forgot the book she assigned to me one year and that David bought me a vintage copy off ebay. The book is called The Little Minister and it is long out of print. It was written by J.M Barrie, known more for his other little story, Peter Pan. I quoted from the book to Mrs Kennedy one of my most treasured thoughts:


Love, it is said, is blind, but love is not blind. It is an extra eye, which shows us what is most worthy of regard. To see the best is to see most clearly, and it is the lover's privilege.


Those teachers at Shiloh Christian School saw the best in me, they loved me well. Oh, that reminds me of Mr Chapman, my precious science teacher, he warmed up my cold fingers out in the portables with his hands and his heart. His passing left a tangible gap at the reunion. I am grateful for those years. For the sheltering, for the sacrifice of my parents who paid taxes for public education AND added to that my private tuition. Thank you all!