An important speech

So, I've written a speech to give to my classmates in attendance at our 20th class reunion, as well as the other people who happen to be present at our class reunion's choice of venue, Reb's Place; a public "beer joint" in the local vernacular. It's a place that has undergone several name changes over the years as different owner/operators have come and gone. It's a public venue everyone is welcome to attend and I expect there to be not a few locals gathered there for their own impromptu reunion as it is the night of Biblesta, which is my home town's big tourist draw for the year and de facto reunion. Reb's Place serves only "near beer", or beer with an alcohol content of not more than 3.2%. It's been many years since I've stepped foot inside that establishment, at the time called "The Watering Hole", I believe. That must have been over 12 years ago, because it was just before I was married and a friend of mine held a party for me to celebrate my, then, upcoming marriage. I can tell the place has undergone some expansion and remodeling, so I look forward to seeing the changes. I know the "Reb" in question, too, so I look forward to seeing him and sending some business his way.

I've taken it upon myself to write a little speech to recognize some of my classmates and their contribution and hard work to organize and plan the reunion. I'll also attempt to honor my friend Jeff Klotzbach, after his untimely, unexpected death through my speech and by performing a couple of songs on my guitar and harmonica before the band our class has hired takes the stage.

I'm nervous about the speech and performance, though I probably shouldn't be worried. At any rate, that's what I've been practicing for in front of Mare in the evenings. I want things to go smoothly and to try to bring us all together and to, temporarily at least, help our group to get over some leftover animosity toward each other for events both during and immediately following our high school experience.

Perhaps next week I'll have a post which recounts the complete success of my speech and performance before my former classmates. If it doesn't go well, I suppose I'll be led to recount that experience truthfully, as well.

People often re-evaluate their relationships and take time to think of people they have grown distant from after a death has occurred. I am no exception. There's a list of people who I should have developed a lasting friendship with in different phases and places in my life, which I would not allow to become close to me, and whom I've allowed to exit my life, or have exited their lives. These are the people I think of and wish to reconnect with and express to them their friendship was valuable to me. I'm guilty of not valuing people's friendship and I wish to be better at that. I wish to value their friendship, if it's not too late; I don't want to be better at not valuing their friendship.

That's what has been on my mind. Love to you all.