Reunions - Get them on the calendar!

The definition of reunion is two or more people coming together after a period of separation. I’ve been a member of the Rotary Club of Santa Cruz Sunrise for 40 years this August. During the majority of these years we had a group of members who met together monthly at one of the members homes after work, and we ran their running route from their home. And afterwards we always had a hot tub, dinner and camaraderie. These were some of my most enjoyable days where many of my long term friendships were initiated. We also met a couple of times per week at Charlie Verutti’s physical therapy office at lunchtime where we changed into our running gear, and did a midday run. I was always the slowest runner and therefore the last to arrive back for conversations and a shower before returning to work. We also had an annual tradition of what we called, “The Good Friday Distance Classic”, which was a 7 mile run culminating at a brewery for a debrief, conversations, laughter and friendship.

Well, we’ve all aged a bit. Only a couple of us are still runners. And we all move a bit slower. Last month at my wife’s celebration of life, several of our former runners group saw each other for the first time in a while. John Barisone thought it would be a good idea to get us together for the Good Friday Distance Classic, but as a hike rather than a run.

A few emails later the reunion was set. 11 of us gathered at the dirt pullout on the side of Highway 1 north of Santa Cruz across from Costanoa Resort. We hiked a couple of miles on the Whitehall Beach Trail along the coast to two separate beaches. As was the tradition, there were twos or small groups together in conversation as we hiked. These groups of conversations changed along the way as someone would catch up or drop back to join a different group and change the conversation. As people tend to find, we caught up just where we left off as if no time had passed.

We saw a couple of bald eagles on our hike. We picked up some plastic rubbish along the beach and eventually we ended up back at the parking lot.

We drove back to Santa Cruz and we met at Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing for beer and some snacks. But the most important part were the stories. Once we were together again for the post hike debrief, the fun stories and memories came out and the laughter erupted. By the end, my stomach muscles hurt from so much laughter. I can’t repeat some of the stories because the are under the required “cone of silence” often invoked when some of the very best and vulnerable stories are told.

This was a joyful afternoon of QTR (Quality Time Remaining) with friends that used to get together so often, but where the lack of our ability as a group to keep running as the activity the joined us together regularly, has not met together for several years.

Friendships and spending time together is QTR. So, what came out of these several hours together? Our group of Rick Hofstetter, John Barisone, Charlie Verutti, Jon Sisk, Ken Whiting, Rob Morse, David Palic, Dave Anderson, Jeff Kirk, Rod Caborn and myself all made plans for our next three adventures together.

Back to reunions. Reunions create community, and keep community alive. Having just gone through the process of my wife’s celebration of life, I can tell you it is infinitely better to have a reunion rather than a celebration of life.

We have had several reunions in the not too distant past. Two years ago we had a reunion in Avalon, Catalina Island for my Dad’s side of the family complete with 50+ years of photos of summer vacations at Catalina Island.

Last summer we had a reunion of 60 friends from University 40 years ago at our house. Laura couldn’t get the smile off her face all night. It was an amazing two day party with great friends, stories, reconnections, photos and fun.

This September we are planning a Waldron family reunion at our house, and I am in a big project to get some old family photos scanned along with some historical family genealogy. Let the family, food and stories begin.

What reunion can you get on your schedule? Remember, a reunion is two or more people coming together after a period of separation. Get it on the calendar. The anticipation of a pending event is a good mood, and it is QTR! Let the reunions begin!