Reflections On a Visit "Home"(1)

Thank you, Bill, for giving me this opportunity to offer an outsider's perspective on your journey back to Midland, Michigan. This was my first time experiencing the place you fondly recall as your boyhood "home." I enjoyed my time in Michigan very much and I hope to return there for a more in depth look and to gain a more than passing "feel" for it.

From the beginning (before we even left DTW) I was treated to Michigan hospitality. The TSA agent who showed concern for my infirmity as I limped past her station was remarkable. Her attentiveness and helpful hints on how to get where we were going with minimal walking made me feel at home - like some one cared. The desk clerk at the hotel where we stayed our first night was friendly, courteous and went out of his way to make us feel welcome and appreciated. It is the little things that really make a stay! Hot pizza and a cold beer at almost midnight - well, let's just say that hit the spot!

Next day - it's off to three of your former homes and schools: Clausson, Pleasant Ridge and Lake Orion.... still great places to live and raise a family from what I could tell. Again, the people in each place where we stopped were friendly, curious a little why we would come such a long way to visit their neighborhood.... Yes, our personal history sometimes needs refreshing and this trip did it, I think. I noticed the care each community has take of its aging schools and the pride they displayed in their bulletin boards and literature on the entry tables. I got a real sense of solid middle America in all three places. The sights, the sounds, the smells - they all formed a strong picture for me of a place where time could actually stand still for a while.... Some things have changed; others have remained virtually untouched. I know from my own experience growing up overseas that it is the things that remain untouched that give us a sense of grounding and permanence. I know I needed that touching back to keep my sense of who I was.

Lake Orion was a surprise in many ways - at first it was just another town on a lake, but then the luncheon at a local restaurant brought the history of the place to life.... Yup! There is significant history in this town - sort of like Niantic, Connecticut (a seaside town that has seen its ups and downs also) - a "vacation" spot that became a permanent settlement and grew into a sizable town. I want to sail on that lake some day!

Then Midland... Wow! I hadn't quite realized how large it is - maps don't tell me much, you know. I was impressed with how clean it is, and how spread out - even the less well kept areas aren't seedy at all. Time is not always kind.... The people, again! The AAA office receptionist was welcoming, cheerful and glad to help us find our way. The hotel was great, too!

Most of all, I liked seeing your old neighborhood, the schools and the places you frequented. The Community Center (with pools and multiple other facilities for all ages!) - I really wish we had something like that here in Redmond! Again, the friendly welcome and the tour were over the top. I expected that a place that busy could not spare any staff for a "reminiscing" tour. But, that was the beginning of what I noticed was a reconnecting for you. It really is a small world, isn't it?

The get together in Plymouth Park was a nice time to meet folks and get a feel for this huge group of former MHS students. The conversations were loud and animated - there were some spots where people were more quiet and reflective, but all in all this was a lively crowd, funn loving and really welcoming of spouses and families. Imagine a giant family reunion - where we need name tags because we can't quite remember everyone..... (i.e. my grandmother's 100th Birthday) The people, again (I know, I'm sounding like a broken record, but...) - friendly, welcoming and glad to help a stranger get acquainted. Soon I felt like I could actually belong in a place like Midland. It became really clear why you kept saying that my part of Connecticut was a lot like Michigan.

(more late)