Howard Homecoming 2010: One For The Books!

Howard Homecoming 2010: One For The Books!



Every year, I countdown the days of the year and await the celebration of a lifetime. Not for the sake of frolicking or for the sake of foolishness but for the sake of tradition. Not the tradition of meeting but a tradition of "meaning". I graduated from Howard University. And that has meaning. It means something to US and that may not and may never mean anything to you if you did not attend Howard or if you didn't take in everything that Howard University had to offer. I did.I dived into the big pool called Howard University and I swam until I got tired and then I allowed myself to drown in the pool and allow the "me" in me to die and I rose A BISON!



And that means more than most will ever know.



I have relationships and friendships with some of the greatest individuals in the world.



I have been inspired, uplifted, carried, helped, influenced, and admired by people I can truly call my friends.



I don't know about you but returning to Homecoming reminds me of the theme song from Cheers.



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Making your way in the world today takes everything you've got.

Taking a break from all your worries, sure would help a lot.

Wouldn't you like to get away?

Sometimes you want to go

Where everybody knows your name, and they're always glad you came.

You wanna be where you can see, our troubles are all the same

You wanna be where everybody knows Your name.

You wanna go where people know, people are all the same,

You wanna go where everybody knows your name.

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I just cannot write about Homecoming and my friends without tearing up.



It's just not possible.



I can't tell you how important they are to me.



My friends and my fraternity brothers do my heart good. I'm so blessed to have them. I hangout and laugh and act the fool's part with the best of them, but I want to let you all know, seriously, I count it a privilege to come "home" and see you every year.



I'm not silly, I can clearly look at some of the others groups of people that I have seen over the last 18 years and I see their groups getting smaller and smaller. And there's a reason for that. Over time our groups will get smaller and smaller too. I see the people who pledged in the 70s and 80s doing tributes around the monument and in the valley for the people who are no longer here and it makes me want to hold on to you all tighter when I hug you, laugh harder when I see you and talk longer when we meet.



Because I truly understand the richness of the moment, the gravity of the opportunity and the privilege of your presence. Please know that I'm looking forward to growing old with you all.



I still remember when me and Lenny Lloyd took calculus together in Locke Hall. When Brent Hughes and I pulled an all nighter when we both had F's in Physics One and banged out the final and pulled a B in the class. I remember my experiences in "the cloisters". The first time I met Deidra Jackson and she lied to me LOL. How cool Kay Rone was on the yard and that sexy look she had when she look at you sideways. I remember the phone call I got when they told me that Derrick Wynn had gotten shot. I remember everything. When I see you all, I REALLY see you. I remember Shantrelle Lewis through her Supermac phase all the way to her Erykah Badu phase LOL.



I remember when Bro. Kevin Thompson, an Alpha, took me under his wing and showed me how to get out of engineering and the proper way to study. I remember Sinclair Skinner, a Kappa, taught me how to use the Fraternity to work on my entrepreneurial skills. I still recall Dr. Sonya Smith and how she used to haze us up in engineering after coming from a predominately white school and thinking that the same rules applied here (they do not!). She IS MY FAVORITE INSTRUCTOR FROM HOWARD! BAR NONE. And still fine. (I can say that, I'm not in school anymore LOL). I could go on and on. I remember G. Stewart's first fight on campus all the way to his last one this weekend!! LOLPartying is cool, hanging out on the yard is nice, but just seeing your face and knowing that you are okay and that I have a friends who love me too is PRICELESS!!!



Howard U.!!