In this year in which many of us turn the page to our 65th birthday, it is perhaps fitting that several of our classmates have chosen to put a pen to paper and produce cerebral output for the enjoyment of all. Some have found the creative juices, such as Paul Parsons or John Alex Owen, others have chosen to record meaningful events from our path, such as Rick Allen. Each of these classmates has been mentioned in prior Class Notes for their efforts. While I have not read them all, I have begun to dig in, and the reads provide a different perspective on the education we all pursued at the same place at the same time. The results are quite varied.

My brother, Ed, who is class of 1967, is a writer. Upon the publishing of his first issue of Gray’s Sporting Journal, my mother exclaimed, “Who knew you could write—I never got a letter in four years of Dartmouth!” I don’t think I wrote a letter either; I must have been too busy with my schoolwork. Wait, no, that wasn’t it. Never mind.

Now it appears that these 65 years have enabled others to become more reflective providing thought-provoking material for us all. David Kepes, who also resides in Texas, San Antonio to be precise, has been published as well. As he states, “Nothing academic or intellectual, just a baby boomer’s memoir with a spiritual thread and some recollections of Dartmouth and the Upper Valley during the 1970s. If you go to Amazon and search my name it will bring up my book: Closer Walk with Thee. Still under $10, just a small paperback and a quick read.” Nothing costs only $10 anymore—great deal.

The Rev. Dennis Billy has also published a much-praised work titled Going Beyond the Wound: A Spirituality for Men. In his own words, Father Billy states, “Men today have a difficult time making sense of their place in the family, in the community, and in the world at large. They are pulled in so many directions and are experiencing an identity crisis of sorts. In the book I examine wounds common to everyone and wounds specific to men. I encourage men to look to Christ for the courage to face their inner demons and persevere to their journey’s end. Anyone interested in navigating the difficult waters of male identity today will benefit from it.”

In a world that can feel a bit unhinged, it is comforting to know that we all still have the plains of Hanover and our collective experience in common. There is still that touchstone and a sense of family that provides some glue and even purpose in our lives. I am still trying to nail down a Texas mini-reunion to extend that camaraderie, but we should all be gearing up for the big 45th next year (even though it is 44—math seems to be an afterthought). Y’all let me know if you are ever in Houston.

Vox clamantis in Tejas.

—Stephen D. Gray, 3627 Ave. M, Galveston, TX 77550; (650) 302-8739; fratergray@gmail.com