1984

  Posted on by Kendall Fredrick Person

  30 Comments

grant high

grant high

The wisdom of Invictus is found in the meaning of its message; and the fury of its delivery, invoke the challenge of our journey toward accepting the message.  Every day that we live, lengthens our timeline, and although most would like to live a long and healthy life, it is not the length that defines us and should concern us, but rather, it is the moments that dot  our timelines that matters most, since they contain the information of the people and events that shape our lives.

∞∞∞

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Kendall F. Person

I was born in 1966 in a metropolis at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. The 3rd child of what would become a clan of six, to an incredibly proud, beautiful, and intensely caring mother. Papa was a rolling stone, so I would not get to know him until years later, but by then, I was fully grown. My stepfather kept his hat in one place, but his contribution to my upbringing was nonexistent. But nonetheless, may he be resting in peace. We moved to the west coast at age eleven, leaving behind a very close-knit extended family. My Grandmother’s house would be our last stop in saying goodbye, making 1978 my second memorable moment, since by default, 1966 is first.

Some moments are so powerful, they exist in a part of the mind beyond the consciousness of our control, nor do they go to the darkness of memory suppression. They simply exist as a part of us, and come and go with free will. In 1994, my brother was shot and killed a few blocks away from the family home. The intensity of the pain, I was sure, would sweep our family away with the nightmare too. But we had lived in Sacramento for over 15 years by then, and friends we made through the years and the community where we lived, provided the strength and love we needed. Time would pass, like it always does, and the pain would release its iron grip. Perhaps, the power of the moment created in 1994 assures that I will always remember my little brother.

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1984

At age 48, our bodies go through changes, our knees start to ache and we realize, our life is half over, so we change the way we think. We become analytical, not to be judgemental, but to put the knowledge we have accumulated into perspective, not having time nor energy to repeat the same mistakes. And with eyes opened a little wider, centered outside of  a pretentious self, we become more aware of the importance of a loving family and the moments we have shared. In the year 2014, I would attend my 30 year class reunion, on a boat christened the Delta King, on the moonlit waters of a river named Sacramento. And I assumed a moment was being created.

Thirty years after pomp and circumstance, and singing our  fight song  – all hail the mighty Pacers – I was once again with the people who knew me most. We stood like brothers on the football field, and every Friday when we battled, it was us against them. We celebrated our victories and held on to one another enduring the misery of  agony’s defeat together. We knew each another’s first love, we were together when we experienced our first heartbreak.  We spent all night at each others homes,  we shared our lunch without thought, and we would dress up for one another on prom night.  We were together during our formative years, and the bond created as kids  could not be broken, and the strength of our embrace was unconditional love we felt, and  the magic of  the moment in 2014 had already been created back in 1984, and  the revelation, that these people were not just my classmates, but were my family, was overwhelming.

– Kendall F. Person
Class of 84

∞∞∞

Class of 1984 Grant High

 Category: Society/Culture      Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

30 Comments on “1984”

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  5. You’re words are alive and very thought and emotionally provoking. I enjoyed this experience of your life and on the note of life not being about how many years but how we spend them. Too many people forget that life does not stop once there is a road block and that defying moment on how the individual assesses the situation is what will be remembered. Break through the wall until you hit the next one. You’re life stories were touching and it was very encouraging to see how you went through those walls and are strong today.

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  7. I just stumbled across this. WordPress told me I may like what you write and he was correct. This is lovely. I love the music as well. Thats a nice little touch.

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  9. You are an excellent writer and this post brought back memories. I was born in ’66 too. There are a few paragraphs that are amazing, especially the one that describes high school. Thank you.

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  10. Kendall! I love this. I really do.

    “At age 48, our bodies go through changes, our knees start to ache and we realize, our life is half over, so we change the way we think. We become analytical, not to be judgemental, but to put the knowledge we have accumulated into perspective, not having time nor energy to repeat the same mistakes. And with eyes opened a little wider, centered outside of a pretentious self, we become more aware of the importance of a loving family and the moments we have shared.”

    Having just turned 45, I have spent the better part of the last five years thinking, analyzing, observing, and trying to find myself. Why am I here? What’s my purpose? My place? All the big life questions. My perspective on myself, people, the world has changed so much in twenty-five years. Every day I go out on the balcony overlooking everything and I look at the sky and say “let this be a good day” because I can only live one day at a time. I know I don’t make the most of it as I should but I’m trying to learn how to do that. I know you know what I mean.

    Thank you for always being the voice of reason…. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  12. I always was somebody, who ‘likes to be alone’. But when I look back on my 32 years of life, the most precious momenst were those I shared with others. Thanks for this beautiful post!

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  14. At age 48, our like is NOT halfway over. The human body is capable of living up to 120 years, if fed good foods, like some of us eat. If anything, I don’t think that you should think that 96 is your death day. If you believe that that is when you’ll die, then it will be. If you believe that you can like up to at least 110, and you try, you will. I know it.

    ~Braixetta

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  16. I know you like never before, Kendall. My sympathy for the loss of your brother with thanks to you for sharing your life so eloquently. A beautiful post. Such a gift your family is to you. Blessings.

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  17. Kendall, and sorry for the loss of your brother many years ago, as you said and described of a close-knit family I am sure that healing process is still ongoing. My immediate family is still together so I cannot say that I know how you have felt these years, all I can do is offer my condolences and be aware that the loss of a family member so close to you and is always painful.
    Now I am reflection to some more joyful topic’s.
    You are a couple of years my junior and I too went to my 30 year class reunion four years ago and I have not seen these people since high school because I did not go to my 10th or 20th. Living outside of the region all these years it was not even close to being a opportunity for me to run into somebody I had gone to school with although it did happen once. 1500 miles away and at the time I believe it was 25 years since high school and I happened to run into one of my closest friends through junior high and high school. Then ironically we haven’t run into each other at church, come to find out we had been going to the same church for quite some time but only at different times of services.
    Since my class reunion I have kept in touch with a handful of them through Facebook and have caught up with a number of others that were not even at the class reunion through social media. Thank goodness for the Internet, or I would probably not even have gone to my class reunion if I was not coerced by some dear friends that I had back then, And continue to nurture these relationships. Because I feel the same way as you have, that these people are also part of my family.
    I personally want to thank you Kendall for opening up your Neighborhood for all of us to move into can pass through. The topics you bring up and discuss are always something that brings deep thoughts to the meaning of the interpretation that you give and that we take from your writings.
    Thank you again for your wonderful post and thoughtful writings, as I look forward to the next that you post, and for the next, and the next.
    Until next time, and I’m sure that will be soon,
    Take care and be well…
    Kip

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  18. I thoroughly enjoyed the story, especially since I did not have such a family bond. I still, nevertheless, advocate the unconditional love and empathy necessary for such bonds.

    Liked by 1 person

  20. Those bonds are precious. I try to never take them for granted. I graduated when you were two and those friendships are still strong. A blessing for sure. Your experience and mine, most of a generation apart, are closely similar. I find that comforting.

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  21. This is lovely. It is articulate, easy on the eyes and the brain and it is filled with powerful emotions and life-experience lessons. It sounds much like a short story that summarizes life in these few yet comprehensive paragraphs.

    Entertaining and a good read…

    Liked by 1 person

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