GPS as a Metaphor for community
The wedding rehearsal was just beginning on a clear, late summer afternoon when Bill Reeves posed a seemingly off-the-wall question that brought the undercurrent of chatter to a halt.
“Do you know what GPS is?” he asked in his trademark gentle, understated tone.
As my son Jay, his future wife, and an assemblage of close friends looked curiously at one another, the minister who a day later would join them in marriage offered an explanation. The Global Positioning System, he told the entourage, is comprised of 24 satellites, and at any time it can give us a reading of where we are. “To program it,” he said, “you need to know two coordinates: home and your destination.”
Ah, yes.
The metaphor was unfolding. The revelry had now turned to rapt attention.
“Home,” he continued, “is defined by these two people and the context in which they’re coming together. “The second coordinate is their goal, but in human terms, that’s very difficult to define.
“One of the responsibilities of those who are here is to affirm that we have a part in this enterprise, their marriage. We are the satellites, the navigational guides, the reference points off which the bride and groom bounce signals. No matter how far away they are, they have the ability to communicate and check their position.”
Since William Reeves, an ordained Episcopal clergyman, arrived on the Collegiate campus in 1976 as the head of the old Boys School, we’ve been privy to his counsel, his wisdom, and his delightful sense of humor. Without a doubt, his style is woven into the fabric of the school.
As I witnessed the extraordinary scene of a crew of 20 somethings in party mode quietly absorbing the message, I couldn’t help but think that his advice, heartfelt and right on the mark as usual, had a much broader meaning.
You don’t have to stay around Collegiate long to understand that often you’ll be the reference point and occasionally you’ll be the person sorely in need of one. Simply put, Collegiate is a community where individuals of different temperaments, talents, and convictions take good care of each other.
In crisis, there’s no greater source of support and comfort than the network of colleagues, students, and their parents which forms a loving and caring extended family. In easier times, this is a community where at its best friends of all ages and job descriptions respect each other, care about each other’s welfare, and take time to listen.
That said, we don’t lead a romanticized, 50’s sitcom existence. Everything isn’t perfect, and some days you leave this place reeling from the mind-boggling pace. With all the pressures, all the stimuli, and all the temptations, this is a challenging time for a child to grow up
Likewise it’s a challenging time to share with parents the awesome responsibility of educating their children and helping them define their lives, focus on their goals, and find meaning in the journey toward their elusive destination.
Over the years, our school has undergone incredible change and growth, eye-popping improvements in facilities, and technological advances that were the stuff of science fiction just a decade ago. What remains solid and constant is the community of friends. In the final analysis, that is our greatest single asset.
