Friday, October 01, 2004

Some Things Never Change

The band plays the same songs. The cheerleaders do the same dances. The student section never sits down. The parents sit in the same spots. The junior highers never watch the game. The announcer still doesn't know what's going on. And everyone is still cheering for the home team.
This is Clinton Mississippi on a Friday night during football season. Tonight I enjoyed my first CHS game as an alumnus---5 years after I graduated. I had the chance to come home this fall and I took it (forgetting how long the drive actually is). Luckily is was a weekend when Clinton played at home. I am not sure what it is about football, or what it is about being a part of the home team, but the excitement doesn't seem to fade. I still wanted to cheer until the end and make sure we one. It was a close game 13-7, but ended excitingly when the Arrows kept the Gators from scoring by intercepting the last play of the game. Got to love those last minute turnovers.
I don't know what it is that makes me sensitive to things like the "alma mater." Though I only spent 3 full years in Clinton, it will always be a part of life. It has to be...it's where my first diploma comes from.
Despite living in Kentucky today I am glad that I was given the ability to feel that many places are home. It's great to be home now; and it will be great to go home on Sunday.