(I'm starting a five part series that will focus on the importance
of looking back in order to look ahead.)
I was 16. It was the summer of 1993. That summer, 22 of us who
were around the same age were taking part in a leadership camp
at IAWAH. Many of my foundations of life, love and faith were
formed that summer...but in the same breath, I really knew
nothing upon completion of the program. Strangely, I had met
girls before but I never really liked girls the way that I did
after or during that program. It's hard to explain. It's not like
I had never been exposed to the female species up until that
point...but it was something about the glow of the sun, the
grass and the romantic/scenic vibe of the property that
tinted everything in a certain light. I think I ended up trying
to date/go out with about 5 or 6 girls out of the 12 (all at different
times) and was ultimately rejected.
To this day, I look back with fairly fond memories upon that
summer, even though it is a pretty sheltered view. I was
exposed to some issues within people that I had never before
fully seen. I'm not doing the entire summer justice, but just
know this - it was unlike anything I've ever experienced since
or before that point in time.
One guy from that summer in particular sticks out in my mind
today - Jon Gale. Jon was always a pretty resourceful, sporty
guy and loved being around people. We weren't really close
friends but I do recall some fond memories that involved him.
One of these memories happened in the summer of '94 and
involved a Soundgarden concert in Hull (at Robert Guertin
Arena) and shotgunning king-cans of Budweiser in the
parking lot after the show. I also remember that concert being
so unbelievably loud that my ears buzzed for a solid 3 days
afterwards. Perhaps the cherry on the cake of the evening
was when Cory (Jon's closest friend back then) was talking
with a girl at Jon's house in Almonte after the show. I
was lying on a couch in the living room, listening to their
conversation. The girl turned to me to ask me a question and
although I can't recall what the question was in reference
to, I clearly remember beginning to answer her and completely
passing out mid-sentence. I awoke a good 8 hours later with
the sun bleeding into the room through a big bay window
and feeling refreshed.
Apparently, Jon's dad passed away recently. I haven't talked
to him in years. Wherever you are Jon, I wish you the best.
