the rod tip up in my right. “One,” I whispered to were inseparable. With each successive year how-
myself. It was surprising to see the heavy, shining ever, making friends just kept getting harder and
line split from the water first, followed by the harder. Suddenly other kids were picking friends,
leader, the tippet, and lastly the fly. “Two,” I said as and if you couldn’t color within the lines, or climb
they floated overhead in a quiet, joint arc, a fluo- the monkey bars, it was going to be a tough year.
rescent rainbow under the sun. I waited more Well, kindergarten is in the past, as is elemen-
patiently than before, taking my time to pronounce tary school and middle school. At present, we
the number, “Three.” I could not see the line students are in high school, and consequently, this
behind me, but for the first time in three days I felt is probably the hardest time in one’s life to make
it curving into a perfect letter C, my fly suspended friends. We are at the age where one mistake, just
in time for a split second. “Four,” I sounded as I one slip-up, could result in a nickname or a repu-
rolled my forearm forward, careful not to use too tation that is near inescapable. Oftentimes we are
much wrist. I half expected to hear the snap of the quick to categorize one another on the shallow
fly behind me, an indication that I had hurried the basis of appearance or a first impression. Rather
cast, but I did not. Instead there was a barely audi- than taking the time to learn an individual’s back-
ble whissh, and then nothing but the line drifting ground, we substitute one for them, one that we
effortlessly towards the water’s surface. The fly have devised through our own assumptions.
landed first without so much as a wrinkle, followed Sometimes these assumptions are accidental and
by tippet, leader and line in that forever-important do not cause much harm. Just a few months ago I
order. It was perfect. When we made our way back was in a hockey shop picking up some new equip-
to the car there was only a faint light glowing over ment and the gentlemen who worked there was
the canyon walls, and that was it. We didn’t talk nice enough to strike up a conversation. He asked
much on the ride home because we didn’t have to. me how long I had been playing hockey, what
There was a silent understanding between the two teams I had played on, and finally, when I was
of us: He knew that I had finally mastered the cast, going to start high school. I was reluctant to tell
even though he didn’t say it. And so we drove in him that in just a few months I was actually going
the shadows of mountains, and crossed over the to be on my way to college. While this incident was
river one final time. embarrassing, it was an understandable mistake,
Now I am sure you are all wondering what that as I have always looked on the younger side. More
narrative is about, and why I have included it in my often than not however, we infer much more than
chapel talk. Well I’m sorry to tell you that you will someone’s age from the way they look. We seem to
not find out why until I conclude in five minutes believe that we can discern both their character
or so, because I am going to talk about a much and personality without ever meeting eyes. Some-
more general topic in the meantime; a topic that times it is the way they dress, and sometimes it is
pertains to all of us. what we hear from other people; either way we
To begin, I think it is safe to say that not every- form opinions of others with very little knowledge
one in this chapel remembers kindergarten. Even of their past, their upbringing, or their own out-
so, there is something nostalgic about that earliest looks, all of which we can make sense of only by
year of school. Kindergarten was a time for stick- meeting them face to face.
figure paintings, storytime, snack time, and per- In a community as small as St. George’s it is
haps most importantly of all, it was a time when especially important that we do not fall into the
everybody was friends with everybody—it didn’t trap of judging a book by its cover, as it can be
matter who they were or where they were from. detrimental in more ways than one. We are all
Your parents would introduce you in the parking human, and thus look for the same things in life:
lot on the way in on the first day, and by recess you lasting friendships, support from family, love,
ST. GEORGE’S 2008 SUMMER BULLETIN 23
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118  |  Page 119  |  Page 120  |  Page 121  |  Page 122  |  Page 123  |  Page 124