Spirit of ’69

(Reprinted from 2019 Alumni Homecoming Souvenir Program)              

Some of us have known each other since we were barely out of our diapers. As we worked our way through grade school and high school, more joined the group while some had to leave, so when we graduated on April 19, 1969, there were 122 of us. After our high school, some links were broken as we went our separate ways for college and eventual careers. The bulk remained in Davao, while others were dispersed around the country or migrated to distant shores.

Wherever our lives took us, Davao and our time at the Ateneo were never far from our hearts and minds. Our days at the Jacinto and Matina campuses were, after all, an integral part of who we are. Davao-based batchmates formed a solid group, searched for long-lost classmates, and endeavored to bring them into the loop. The search was not limited to the 122, but included all those who were classmates for part of the journey. Thus was born the Spirit of ’69.

What binds this disparate bunch together? It’s a shared past of hated schoolwork which got in the way of fun, of terror teachers and encounters with the Prefect of Discipline, of mischief we got into and got away with, of class nights and class parties, of discovering the joys of smoking and drinking and girls, of dressing to conform with the latest fashion trends. We had our rivalries – in academics, in intramurals, for girls, between gangs and barkadas. We got into fights. We can now look back and smile – or cringe – at the silliness of it all.

We dug into our baols to unearth and share photos of those bygone days. They were in pristine condition because they were safekept and treasured for the memories they evoked. We also dug into our memory baols to recall and share our escapades. Funny how much we could remember with the help of single malt. We could thus count on our batchmates reminding us of our most embarrassing moments which we had long consigned to the dustbin of history, and prayed that they remained there.

We reminisce about all this when we meet at least once a month, more often if we find an excuse to do so, no matter how trivial, for we truly enjoy each other’s company and look forward to every gathering. But it is not only the past that interests us. We keep each other informed of our present circumstances, and come together when a batchmate is in need. We readily extend a helping hand when a call for assistance goes out, whether it be financial, spiritual, or just a sympathetic ear.

The topics of our conversations these days have diverged to include comparisons of blood sugar, PSA, and cholesterol levels, of medications prescribed and specialists consulted, of children’s accomplishments and the joys of grandchildren, of travel and escapades both real and imagined. The prospect of going back to our diapers may not be farfetched, but the spirit that keeps us together will only get stronger. We are committed to keep it that way.

Joel H. Suarez