Listening to Dotty Gass and Peggy Quance reminisce about a time when the world was at war and the future uncertain was a blessing (“World War II nurses reunite after 60-plus years). The pair took one of the few paths available to women to directly assist the war effort during that era - nursing. Even though they did not serve with the military in the Pacific or the European theater, their efforts on the home front provided the compassion that was needed in the halls of a New Jersey hospital.

Their young lives, after working together for a few years, took separate routes. Their start in a career is very similar to the hundreds of graduating seniors that walked the stage and claimed a high school diploma last week. One wonders which of these new graduates will meet with their high school friends many miles and many years from this moment to talk about their high school days in Midlothian and Richmond.

Will the conversation revolve around memories of the high school dances or who had the worst part-time job? Will they talk about the tough veteran teachers and how their grandchildren will never know how hard it really was to learn in a classroom? Will they remember how much the price of bread, a hamburger, or even a gallon of gas cost?

Think about the amazing discoveries and technological and medical advances that have occurred since the 1940’s. Think about how the world has changed over those years from defined lines on a paper map to a Google street view on a iPad. One just wonders what the conversation will be like for good high school friends who accidentally meet sometime in the year 2070. Hopefully, they can share the crossword puzzle on their virtual newspaper. 

Best to all who graduated on continued successes and attaining your goals and dreams.