BLESSING AT THE CLASS OF '58 REUNION/ SATURDAY NIGHT:

LET US PRAY:
O GOD WE THANK YOU FOR ALL THE MANY BLESSINGS YOU HAVE BESTOWED UPON THE MEMBERS OF OUR CLASS, AND THEIR FAMILIES, THROUGHOUT THE YEARS;

THANK YOU FOR THE DEEP AND ABIDING FRIENDSHIPS THAT WERE BORN IN OUR FORMATIVE YEARS, AND WHICH ENDURE IN THESE LATER YEARS OF OUR LIVES;

THANK YOU FOR THE MANY GREAT AND CARING TEACHERS WHO NURTURED AND ENCOURAGED US, PROVIDING A SOLID FOUNDATION FOR OUR CAREERS AS PARENTS, AND AS CONTRIBUTORS TO THE PROGRESS OF OUR COUNTRY, IN THE BUSINESS WORLD, AND IN THE PROFESSIONS;

WE THANK YOU FOR HELPING US TO BE CHEERFUL WHEN THINGS HAVE GONE WRONG; FOR PERSEVERING WHEN THINGS ARE DIFFICULT; AND CALM AND PATIENT WHEN THINGS ARE IRRITATING;

AND, FINALLY, IN REMEMBRANCE OF OUR CLASSMATES WHO HAVE PASSED INTO A BETTER PLACE, AND AS WE PONDER HOW APPRECIATIVE WE ARE FOR THEIR FRIENDSHIP WITH US, LET US REMEMBER THAT A FRIENDSHIP MADE, AT ANY TIME IN LIFE, IS A TREASURE TO BE VALUED IN MAKING EACH OF US A BETTER PERSON.

WE ASK THAT YOU BLESS THESE GIFTS, AND THIS FOOD, IN THY NAME, AMEN.

BILL LEARY
CLASS OF '58
REUNION, JUNE,
2008