It was almost like coming home. In fact…it was indeed coming home.
The College of Charleston will always — in my eyes — be one of the most beautiful settings to live…to learn…and to grow into adulthood. As I mentioned in the previous post, a few close college friends and I came back to Charleston to reconnect and — as a treat — see our old ‘stomping grounds’.
We returned to the scene of the crime. Let me be clear. If establishing life-long friendships is a crime, I throw myself on the mercy of the court.
We began at the almost brand new Cato Center of the Arts with a presentation from Music Department Chair Michael O’Brien.
We followed that with a brief tour passing our old haunt — the Simons Center for the Arts and getting a look inside a renovated Sotille Theatre.
Some things were familiar. Others have changed over three decades. The one thing that was truly missing was a round white table outside the choir room where — for our group — many a conversation was had over a sandwich and soda.
There, however, is no more iconic location at C of C than the Cistern Yard. History (and a lengthy one at that) tells us this place was where the water for the school was stored in its early days. For our group, ansd thousands of other students, this location is significant for two reasons. One..it was always the place to go when you needed a quiet moment amid the azaleas in bloom to sit…think…recharge. Two…it was the place where our C of C experience came to an end with graduation.
I’ve always called graduation at the College a “built-in Mother’s Day gift”. The ceremony is always held on that day…and is a more-than-appropriate ‘thank you’ for the woman who always pushes us to succeed (oh..you too Dad).
We did this BEFORE we gatheried at the reunion HQ house on Johns Island where — as the sun goes down — you could see this:
What did we have to look forward to? Two words: Lowcountry Boil!
Trust me…an explanation and pictures are coming.
WELCOME TO MY WORLD!! 