Do it Again pt. 1: Homecoming

With my alma mater’s homecoming around the corner its been that time if year where I get nostalgic. I don’t know what it is, maybe its something about the crisp air that reminds me of leaving New York nine years ago and starting my adult life or it feeling like the beginning of a New year or something. I haven’t been back to a homecoming in maybe four years either and its something special about seeing lots of familiar faces that just does it for you.

I went to Morehouse College, a Historically Black College/University. People wonder what that experience is like who haven’t been. While Drumline and Stomp the Yard kinda do it justice Spike Lee’s School Daze and the sitcom A Different World hit it spot on (especially since both are based on my school). A Different World was pretty much my life in college all the way down to the fact that I was married to the real Whitley Gilbert. There’s a bond between everyone who went there to the point that if I saw someone randomly in an airport in which I just remember their face and never said a word we’d stop and have a conversation like we’ven known each other forever. It’s really that deep.

With social media being as prevalent as it is now, a lot more of us are able to keep up with and tabs on each other a lot better now. My fiance had gone to Spelman College right across the street which is an all female school (mine is all male) and we treat each other as brother and sisters and many wind up choosing wives from there as well. Well once everyone had gotten word of my fiance’s diagnosis, a lot of people rallied around in prayer, kept in contact, and even started a fund raiser to help as much as possible. When she passed away my voicemail, emails, and even snail mail was filled with condolences, well wishes and genuine “call me’s” from people I had never spoken to before in my life but they meant it.

After thinking about whether or not I’m going, I am. I’m going for a few reasons. I know it would be good to see a lot of everyone who has given something to our cause, and the obvious have a great time; but I really feel like I’m (and Cydney too) going for my fiance as well. In a perfect world, we would have moved back to Atlanta and resumed the life we started and planned on coming back to. In a not so perfect world but ok still this would have been the time we came back to homecoming and seeing her alive, well, and having survived would have been THE triumph. But its not and she’ll be with me in spirit. It’s also an opportunity for Cydney to get to see family that had looked out for us big time our time down in “The A.”

For what its worth, I’m really looking forward to going. I’m going to hate the plane ride (any tips/advice?)…